In Search of the Cunning One
by Firedraike08
Summary: When the grey palace burned all Aly knew was destroyed. She, of all those mentioned in the Kyprish prophecy, disappeared into history...Well, that was before she decided to get revenge...
1. The Ruins

**Summary: This is yet another Aly story with a twist. I've set it in two different times, the 'future' of TP's world and the 'current time' (the time the books are all written in). Basically the part with Aly takes place 5 or so years into Dove's reign (that might be subject to change), and the other part in the 'future' follows a character/s and their search for what happened to the cunning one.**

**A/N: That probably didn't make sense. Go on and read the chapter and try and figure it out hopefully you'll get the idea…after all this is just another completely random idea…-friends reading the screen behind me groan- What! You shouldn't be reading this over my shoulder anyway!... **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce. **

**Chapter 1: The Ruins**

Lilith stood before the ancient ruins, blackened husks stark against the horizon, seeming to cry for the people of an age long past. The stories that surrounded this place were legendary. This Kyprish history, with all the tales of the Raka and the Luarin, –her own ancestors- and the most famous tale of all; the one that told of the rebellion and the Kyprish prophecy:

_From the Kyprish Prophecy, 200 HE In a time of fear the one who I promised will come to the raka, bearing glory in her train and justice in her hand. She will restore the god to his proper temple and his children to her right hand. She will be twice royal, wise and beloved, a living emblem of truth to her people. She will be attended by a wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior and the crows. She will give a home to all. And the kudarung will fly in her honour. _

The tales fascinated her and many theories had been voiced as to the prophecy's meaning. It could not be simply disregarded as the fancy of an early civilisation. Indeed the flying horses or Kudarung, though now nearly extinct, did exist, and there had certainly been a rebellion some where around the year 463 HE.

None of the old religions statues that had been found, depicted the trickster god, who was believed to be the patron god of the Isles after the rebellion and before the Luarin had invaded many years before. Those bits made a kind of sense but then there were the completely nonsensical parts, like where it referred to the crows.

Caught up in her thoughts she stepped into the ruins, following a well worn path through the ancient walls to what had been the throne hall. There on either side of the steps, though ancient, stood the headstones. They were the evidence that supported the prophecy. That ensured it could not be discarded as myth along with the tales of mages, magic and other fantastic beings.

They stood sadly beside the cracked and worn stone steps as though guarding them. Carved deeply into each one were the epitaphs; The Strong One, The Wise One, The warrior, The One Who I Promised, there was even a crow shaped statuette sort of thing inscribed with: (in memory of ) The Crows.

All had names, dates of birth and death…and then there was the strangest one of all. There was the blank space where The Cunning One should have rested. It was commonly held that the spymaster of the Isles had died in the inferno… none knew where her body rested.

There were to theories relating to this. The first she had died her body lost…but the other, the other suggested she had lived. Escaped the inferno and watched the destruction of all she had known. Watched and fought the rival government that had orchestrated the half-blood queen and her governments down fall.

Something had happened to that ruling body, swift and deadly, attacking from the shadows. It then went on to say that Aliane (or Aly as she was more commonly known) lived. That she did not die, but rose to serve the trickster.

Whether the fabled Cunning One had been behind the falling of the government or not none could deny _something _had happened, and so the legend of the girl, unsurpassed in history continued to grow, through the era's and into the modern day.

Lilith sighed. As highly unlikely as it was, something in her seemed to favour the second theory despite any arguments or evidence that said otherwise. Closing her eyes she tried to imagine the night the palace had fallen, centuries ago.

……………………

The flickering light cast by the flames set the thousands of upturned faces aglow. The Spymaster of the Copper Isles stood along with the gathered crowd, her face a mask, reflecting the morbid fascination of the crowd. She looked on with the rest, her heart like ice as the grey palace burned.

Try as hard as she could she couldn't keep a small sob from escaping her mouth as all she had built in this country she now called home burned. Dove, the half-blood queen of the copper Isles had been pulled out of that inferno by Fesgao. Badly injured it was unknown if either of them would live. Besides them many were trapped in that fire, friends…family. All killed in a fire that should never have occurred, had no right to exist. The healer that tended Dove rocked back on his heals his face ashen and smudged with soot, eyes mournful.

Aly's world seemed to shatter like glass, each piece slowed as it fell so she could see every minute splinter of the fragments that spurted out as they crashed to the ground around her. Another sob escaped her, as her heart seemed to break apart with the knowledge that all that could have been done was done. An aching pain filled her very soul, fuelled by a slow burning anger. Dove was dead, Winna, Nuritin and many of the most powerful nobles; Fesgao, Taybur…Nawat…Everyone. The palace would burn to the ground…and worst of all, she had failed, failed her friends, family even the network she had built. Racking sobs shook her, and she forced herself to commit every minuscule detail of this scene to memory to examine later when she could focus…could get her mind around her loss.

The palace seemed to explode suddenly outward, and stones fell from above in a deadly rain.

There was a cry of fear from the crowd and suddenly people were pressing away from the palace. It was move or be trampled. Aly let the crowd sweep her along with it, working her way towards the edge then collapsing in a side alley. Letting her composure drop she sobbed trying to thank whatever god had kept her alive but found she was incapable of doing so. No god should have allowed this, this slaughter. Wrapped in her cloak she pulled her exhausted body further into the shadows, her cloak hiding her form from prying eyes as she slipped into unconsciousness.

**A/N: So should I continue this or should I delete it before. Plea? Hopefully you get the gist of what I was trying to explain se review and tell me what you think! **


	2. In the End

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce. Oh yeah, and I don't own the song _In the End _by _Linkinpark _either. **

**Chapter 2: In the End **

Lilith rocked back shocked and dizzy. She could've sworn that had been real… shaking her head in a futile effort to clear it. She could still see the flickering light from the fire; the crowds faces turned up in morbid fascination… A cold wind whipped though the ruins making her shiver. But it wasn't from the cold. _No,_ she thought. _It was the sense of foreboding that came with it._ Shivering again, she left the ruins hastily, returning to the city of Rajmuat.

Entering the small apartment she owned, suddenly dizzy she slumped onto the couch, strangely exhausted. In seconds she was asleep, haunted by dreams of a cloaked woman lying unconscious on the cobbled streets of her own city; a woman alive hundreds of years before her birth.

……………………

…_It starts with one thing  
I don't know why _

_It doesn't even matter how hard you try …_

The spymaster stirred slowly. For a moment Aly was blissfully confused, and then the pain of memory returned. Flickering images assaulted her vision until she forced them away, but all that did was increase the awareness of a hollow place inside her; the place where her heart should have been. Wrapping her arms around her middle she sat hunched and shivering as the ache inside her grew. It filled the hollow in her, filled it with her uncried tears until it overflowed, spreading its poison through her body.

… _keep that in mind_   
_I designed this rhyme _

_To explain in due time…  
…All I know …_

She shuddered, fighting tears, fighting the memories, fighting reality. It had been so quick, quick and devastating. In one foul swoop her life had been torn asunder and discarded. She ached to turn back time, to prevent the destruction…but that was impossible. She knew she'd missed something, a telltale sign, anything, a clue, a word spoken…but there had been nothing, nothing to hint of what was to come. Her mind frantically flew in circles, desperately trying to discern what she'd done wrong, the detail she'd missed. Sobs racked her before she once again regained control._  
_  
_…Time is a valuable thing  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
The clock ticks life away   
It's so unreal…_

If she'd known…regret pierced her, each a cold shard of ice through her centre causing the pain, the poison to build. So her heart wasn't gone after all. No. She could still feel the pain. It would be better if she'd died in the fire, died like everyone else, like… Nawat. Searing pain pierced her centre, far worse than anything she'd ever experienced, or could have imagined until that moment.Her thoughts clarified for one moment, unanimous in one thought,

'_NO! IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED! THEY'RE ALIVE! HE'S ALIVE! I KNOW IT!'_

…_Didn't look out below  
Watch the time go right out the window  
Trying to hold on, but didn't even know  
Wasted it all just to watch you go…_

… _No_…Tears flowed freely down her face as the pain in her built, tearing at her, clawing, cutting her to her very soul. The images returned, flashing before her eyes. Fire, bodies, a crowd of people and a lone mage fighting for the life of her queen… she shook her head angrily. Not the images again. Regaining some self control she tried to shove the memories deep inside her, along with her feelings, the pain of remembering her failure.

_… I kept everything inside and even though I tried, it all fell apart  
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory…_

For a moment it seemed as though she'd succeeded, and with relief she straighten and looked around. Her eye caught on something glossy. There on the ground was a feather. A crow's feather. The pain surged to the fore again, tossing her mind from short lived clarity back into chaos. 

…_I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter…_

Aly gave an anguished cry, and sobbed again. She cried until she felt empty again. The pain momentarily subdued, leaving in its wake a total numbness. Her mind regained control of her heart for a while cutting through her misery like a knife blade, banishing it from her mind as survival took over. That had been no natural fire, she knew that. How it had started was so far a mystery, but she would find the culprit. Dove now had no heirs, no one to secure her line. It had ended. And she knew the culprit would be the one to gain from this, the one who ascended to power after her, or at the very least known to that one.

_  
…I had to fall   
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter._

It hit her suddenly that Kyprioth had not appeared though all this; had not acted to save the one who had restored him to his rightful throne. _KYPRIOTH! _She called mentally. _WHERE ARE YOU, YOU GUTLESS, UNGRATEFUL BASTARD! _The thought rang empty. A dread filled her like none she had ever known. _Kyprioth?_ Again there was the same emptiness, as though it echoed in a space once filled with beings…was now empty. Minutes passed and the dread grew. He wouldn't dare avoid her this time. She was his chosen after all. No, something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

The dread cloaked her.

All other thoughts, pain, memories and feeling were banished from her mind as survival instincts took over. Something beyond the destruction that was visible in Rajmuat had occurred. Forcing her mind to focus she got stiffly to her feet. She had no way of knowing how long she had wasted and even another moments hesitation could lead to disaster. Adjusting the cloak's hood, to obscure her face better, she hurried from the ally she had been in. A force was at work here that she couldn't comprehend. She should have died in that fire; if it weren't for a freak twist of fate she would've died like everyone else. Hopefully they thought she had, but she didn't like to count on an assumption. What she needed someone who could explain this to her, the strange emptiness, everything. Unfortunately, everyone she knew who might've had that kind of knowledge had died in the fire- or had they? She smiled grimly. It _had_ been a couple of years since she had visited home.

…………………

Lilith eyes snapped open. What the hell was happening to her? She felt drained and tired, her skin was clammy. She felt as though she'd run a marathon but she'd hardly been for a 5 minute walk. She swallowed hard. This was just freaky.

**A/N: Well that's most of the gloomy bit done, shouldn't have much more of that kind of stuff. Yeah, well, what did you think? If that was confusing at all, ask and I'll try to explain…or you could just wait for the next chapter and I think that that will…I hope. Anyway, please review!**


	3. Beginnings

**Disclaimer: The world, magic and characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce.**

**Chapter 3: Beginnings **

A few days later Lilith sat by the window in her apartment. She sighed gloomily. The day had dawned grey and wet. She watched separate drops on the window combine until they ran down the glass like streams of tears.

_Well you're in a fine mood. Maybe if I talk to you, the overwhelming glory of my presence will stop you sulking._

Lilith jumped and looked around frantically, but she was alone. She shuddered, and muttered, "A perfect start to a day that promises to be boring. Hearing voices... and to top that off annoying ones." She sighed feeling sorry for herself.

_Too bad, mortal...and I am _not_ annoying. Well,_ a note of mischief filled the voice, _some may think I am annoying but they are sadly disillusioned. I resort to the phrase 'poor you'. _

She jumped to her feet not caring the chair she had been sitting on had fallen over. "Gah!" She thought. "I hate it when people say that!...What the hell! Now I'm actually admitting I heard something. Why couldn't my life be _normal_!"

_Because, then it would be no fun! _

The air swirled and Lilith jumped. A strange man had materialised before her wide eyes. Lean and muscled with the coppery skin of a native Raka, he had a salt and pepper beard and hair both cropped short. Dressed in the weirdest getup she could have imagined, he jingled with a multitude of what looked like charms and jewellery. He was surrounded by a strange golden light that pulsed as though it were alive. She swallowed hard, "I take back what I said before," she thought. "_This_ is freaky."

He grinned. "Hello! It shouldn't be."

Lilith stared. "W-who are you?"

The man affected a hurt look. "Who am I? _I?_ Kyprioth, _the_ trickster god, and she asks who _I _am?" Kyprioth stared at her, almost as though she'd suddenly grown horns. Tentatively, she half raised a hand to her head, and then dropped it as though she'd burnt herself. He grinned widely at her antics.

"Hey! Stay out of my brain!"

"But you're mind is such an interesting place!"

Lilith glared. "At least you answered the question, I spose. Now I know I'm mad…er."

"Don't be so pessimistic! I could have just left you, but that wouldn't have suited me. Look at it this way, at least one event in your sad mortal lifespan will be worth remembering."

Outraged beyond words at this…_god's_ arrogance Lilith stood opening and closing her mouth, then as shock set in and she sunk wearily to the floor.

Kyprioth righted then settled onto the overturned chair. "Much better, now to the point of the matter, why I'm here at all."

Lilith looked up warily, "I'm _not_ going to like this."

The trickster shrugged, "Too late for regrets now, you chose your path and now you must follow it."

"Path?"

"The journey of your life, you fate."

"When did this happen!"

"The moment you decided to find the Cunning One my dear."

"_WHAT! _I never said that! I didn't even think it!"

Kyprioth smirked, "I didn't say you'd consciously thought it, just that you had decided to. The moment you entered what was once the grey palace and stopped before those grave stones your path was set. You chose a path and so one future was given birth and another was left a mere dream. Who knows, you may never have had that vision, never found your gift. The Sight."

"It was real then, that actually happened." Lilith whispered. "She didn't die in the fire…"

Kyprioth's eyes softened momentarily, "No. She didn't."

"And I have the power she was said to have. You say I have the Sight? But how is that possible? Magic doesn't exist."

"Magic hasn't really existed for over 1000 years. The gift is what its name suggests, a gift, from the gods. When the grey palace burned it was the master plan of a being from…well, I won't go into that. All you need to know is that after Dovasary Balitang's fall the government that was set up virtually exterminated all memory of us, well, not memory, belief. It birthed a new religion." The words were nearly snarled. "It was planned well, without worshippers we were virtually powerless and without a purpose to continue to exist. Even the ultimate powers, Father Universe, Mother Flame…both were powerless to stop it. This…_creature_ was like nothing ever dreamed of, ever seen before. We," he paused as though the memory pained him still, then continued, "we were ousted from our thrones by this pretender; the supposed_ 'one true _god_', Lungkata, _thus no 'gift'. Well, it was more than extremely rare anyway._"_

Lilith stared. Two thirds of the world's population worshipped Lungkata. There were select groups going to extremes that would make any sane person horrified.

"Well, there were some true followers," Kyprioth acknowledged eyes glinting like polished stone. "Unsurprisingly most of them were raka, in fact, the few true raka who remain are the only ones left who worship the 'ancient' gods, and are," his eyes glowed, "the only practitioners of the gift left…well, that was until you turned up."

"But if you were ousted from your-." she stopped mid-sentence looking warily towards the god before her before continuing, "throne, why are you here?"

"It took me years to regain my rightful place in the Isles. I'd barely had it for a breath of my time and then the greatest trick I ever performed might as well not have happened because it was once again taken from me." Kyprioth's eyes glittered dangerously and the venom in his voice made Lilith take a step back. She pitied Lungkata if Kyprioth ever found him.

"We were confident in our positions and power. Certain there was nothing we didn't know. We paid a dear price for that. My siblings are mere shadows even now a thousand years on. They are mere whispers on the wind."

"But you're not."

"I fought. I survived. I did not give in to despair. I fought and continue to fight. I will win. I will regain what is rightfully mine. Where my siblings were unable to hold onto their powers, I did. You see, I had Aly. I invested her with some of my power. It wasn't planned, it happened merely because she was my chosen. I don't know why it didn't work for my siblings. But that doesn't matter. I had power, a spark but it was power. So I was anchored by the few who still believed…and by my desire for revenge, maybe if I hadn't lost my throne I would have been lost as well, but anchored I was. As long as I am still a consciousness in this world I will fight. And Lungkata will fall."

Lilith stared, then said, "You still haven't told me my part in all this. Explain."

"I said your power was the Sight…well, that was the only branch of the gift that I could think of with some similarities. This is something more, and infinitely more powerful. You will help me gather the strength I need to defeat that-_that thing._"

"And you know this how? What if I refuse?"

"As I said before, you have already chosen your path...then again you mortals always loved the mystical." He paused thinking the smiled, light shone from him filling the room. "Let's see… I can do a prophecy if you like."

Lilith backed away feeling uneasy, "No thanks. I like to think that I can control my life completely. Thanks all the same."

Kyprioth grinned, "Aw! But it would be so much more fun! And then I give you a verse to remember and not all this jumbled information."

"No. I'll be fine."

Kyprioth sighed. "As you wish spoil sport. I wait 1000 years and I am denied even one lousy prophecy."

"No!"

"Please?"

"NO!"

"Pretty please?"

"N.O.!"

"N.O.? Now Ok? Alright then, keep your hair on I'll do it now-"

"I SAID NO! AND YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHAT I MEANT!"

"Tut-tut. You really should control your temper."

Lilith simply glared.

Kyprioth smirked, "Fine. Have it your way. Be a sourpuss. As for that information...this would be so much more interesting in a prophecy. Please? No? Alright then, basically there will be four of you-" Lilith opened her mouth to interrupt, "Don't disrupt me. As I was saying there will be four of you. One from the north, south, east and west of this world, you are obviously from the West. Since you're the one I talked to, and the one with the gift, you will need to find the others. I'll find you again when I need to talk…and once you've found them I'll give you some more information."

"You have got to be joking! How the hell am I meant to find _three _people out of everyone in this entire world!How would I pay for it if it were even possible!"

"One, you won't have to leave the Isles for awhile. Two, these people will find you, so you'd better be ready for more uninvited guests-"

Lightening flashed and thunder cracked making the entire building shudder.

"That would be my signal to leave. I really don't want to attract anymore of Lungkata's attention than I just did." The god disappeared as the storm reached its peak and proceeded to buffet Rajmuat.

Lilith stared at the spot he had stood in. "Just great. Not only am I madder, I have the gift and I've got to find three other people-no even better, they have to find _me_! Oh yeah, and they're all from god knows where on this bloody planet!" With a sigh she settled down onto the chair the god had vacated. _Maybe I should consider counselling…_ She sat for awhile trying to absorb everything. "Which is physically impossible," she muttered grumpily before her head drooped and she fell into a troubled sleep.

……………………

The ground still seemed to rock under her.

Aly looked out into the dark, her eyes just picking out the outline of the small ship that she'd stowed away in to get here. She smiled. It had been a lot simpler but less fun when Dove had been a live. A pang of sorrow as she was reminded of her loss shot through her. She shoved it away. Now of all times she could not afford to be a moment slower or any less alert than normal. She just had to wait and they would find her. She smiled, and then it would begin. Maybe she could have done this an easier way…but not safer. She preferred to entrust her life into her own hands rather than the goodwill of a messenger.

…………………

It was evening at Pirates Swoop. Alanna of Pirates Swoop was in Corus and fore the moment, George Cooper Baron of Pirates swoop and the Tortallan Spymaster was alone in his study. He sat with a tired sigh at his desk. The former King of Thieves was still fit and agile for his age, but he resented the fact he could no longer do as much in one day. Running fingers through greying hair, he sighed again, and then abruptly cut off the sound; this was too close to feeling sorry for himself. For a moment he left his mind unguarded and grief swooped in to claim him. His daughter had died in the disastrous fire that destroyed the grey palace…along with the rest of Dove's court. Fresh anguish sought to claim him and he forced it back. The time for mourning was past. The government that had risen to power in the days after Dove's fall was far too active in the shadow world for his liking. Resting his head in his hands, he felt his eyes begin to slide shut.

…………………

It seemed only a moment later that he was starting awake to the sound of running footsteps in the hallway. With almost supernatural speed he was awake and in a fighter's crouch, knives at the ready. _"Not bad for an 'old' man," _he thought wryly. The door swung open and a panting 'servant', skidded to a stop.

"Aly…on the beach" he managed to gasp but before he didn't finish his sentence. George was past him and into the hallway as soon as he mentioned Aly's name.

…………………

The weak dawn light silhouetted the cloaked, solitary figure on the beach. Gasping for air George skidded to a halt eyes never leaving the person before him. "…Aly…?" He asked hardly daring to hope. The figure turned slowly then was suddenly rushing forward. His first instinct was to defend himself but as the figure turned the hood of the cloak thrown back George relaxed sheathing his half exposed knife. Aly ran into him and with a small sob flung her arms around him, her body wracked with her sobs.

"Da! Oh Da, they're all g-gone! All of them. Every last one. D-dead. " She gulped then continued, "I tried to save them! I tried! I-I-" her voice broke off back into sobs.

"Hush Aly. We'll sort this out. It'll be alright. Everythin' will be alright."

But even as her father held her, rocking her slightly, even as he cried with her, Aly knew, nothing would ever be alright again.

Softly at first and then stronger it began to rain. The very world mourned with the two figures outlined in the soft light of dawn.

…………………

Lilith sat still for a moment her face shadowed. "_What was that_?" she whispered softly to herself. "_Visions are _visions_, not…that."_ Hugging her knees to her chest she sat there rocking. "_What was that? Why is this happening to me!" _A tear slid down her cheek. Taking a shuddering breath she tried to calm herself. It was so _real_. She had felt the wind from the sea, smelled the salt…felt the rain. Her hair hung in wet strands across her face as though to defy any sense she could make of it. She shuddered again. If this was the gift she supposedly had then she wasn't sure she wanted it.

**A/N: Ah! Sorry this update is so late. I have a whole list of valid excuses but I'll just stick to my favourite semi-valid one; I am officially a Lost Cause, and am therefore, not responsible for my actions. Ah! Enough of that rubbish just please review!**

** The 'god' that appears in this chapter (and will in others) called Lungkata, is actually a being from aboriginal mythology. He is a 'dirty, cheating Lizard-man' of Uluru…unless someone can suggest a better name for this god, because I can't think of one. It seemed appropriate.**


	4. Home

**A/N: I finally managed to update! Yes! –Punches the air-. Once again sorry about the late update (well late for me anyway). This story (or rather my mind) is being contrary and has refused to be written/write any quicker…yeah, that was just a complicated way of saying I had (shock/horror, LNP) writer's block. Thanks to all the great people who reviewed!**

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP. **

**Chapter 4: Home**

Aly sighed and looked up from studying the grain of the table. Two people waited patiently for her to speak, she swallowed and in a voice drained of emotion she recounted the events since the Grey Palace burned. By the time she ended her narrative her face was pinched with the effort of keeping her voice even, her emotions under control. George looked at her worriedly, and she forced a small smile onto her face for his sake. Aly sighed, as the worried look in his eyes only deepened, she should've known better than to pretend anything was as it was not around her father.

She was startled out of her reverie by Numair Salmalin's voice. A black robe, and the most powerful practitioner of the gift she knew. It shocked her to see the deepened lines of age on his face.

"You say when you tried to confront Kyprioth there was nothing? What exactly do you mean by 'nothing'?"

"There was nothing there. No presence. Even if he was ignoring me there would be _something_. No. It was like an echo, a blank space were something once rested."

The room was silent.

"He was _gone_?" asked George.

Aly nodded. "I figure wherever he's _gone_, perhaps the other gods could follow…"

"Do you realise what that means?" asked Numair. "The _gift_ is as its name suggests a _gift_. A gift from the gods, if as you say _all_ the gods disappear it will mean the literal extinction of magic."

"The implications of…" George looked at Aly, "that event could be more serious than I realised," muttered the Baron.

"More serious?"

"Whoever started that fire- yes it was started, that's logical Numair- whoever started it is way to active in the shadow world. It's been virtually buzzing for months now, and it all came to a climax when the palace burned. There's someone tugging strings, somewhere, I just can't seem to find him." He looked at Aly again, "Or her."

The silence returned in full force, bearing down on the three occupants of the room. Something had happened when the palace burned. Far more than was at first apparent.

…………………

Lilith blinked. That vision had been relatively painless… it seemed ominous when you looked at the state of the world magic wise in current times. She sighed. Maybe if she waited long enough a vision would reveal what had happened to the magic users. After all, one of the gods survived.

She sighed and looked down remembering, what she had been doing before the vision took her. Returning to looking over a world map she wondered, if she was the Westerner, then where would the Southerner, Northerner and Easterner come from? North and East could be any number of countries, Tortall, the Yamani Islands, Tyra, Galla and Sarain to name only a few of them. But the south, to the south there was only Carthak. "Well, that's one thing cleared up," she thought. "At least now I know what I'm looking for…I wonder if they know. Kyprioth wasn't exactly specific on who would find who, now I think about it."

Her musings were interrupted by another vision.

_A dark skinned Carthaki, probably about her age gave a yell as figures swathed from head to toe in black cloth closed in around him. There was a flash of light reflected off metal and 'Lilith' froze. This was happening _now_. She had no idea how she knew but she did. _

Breaking from the vision she swallowed. "OH HELL! What am I supposed to do now!?"

…………………

**A/N: Yeah, sorry the chapter's so damn short. I just had to put _something _up. The next one will be longer…hopefully. **


	5. Ashes

**A/N: This is going to be my last update on this story for awhile. I hate myself for leaving it, but I don't want to write this story at the moment. I don't have enough time and my life is a bit messy at the moment. I'm taking a break from fanfiction and hopefully I can continue this at a later date, but right now, I'm not in the right mood to finish this story, sorry. I tried to make this a bit longer than usual, but yeah. **

**Disclaimer: The world and the characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce. I also don't own the song Ashes by The Beautiful Girls. **

**Chapter 5 – Ashes **

Lilith tumbled from her chair swearing empathetically as she smashed her knee into the table leg. Hell! What could she do! She could hardly charge into the midst of a fight and she didn't even know where this guy _was, _let alone how to try to help him. She wasn't that brave… or that stupid.

"KYPRIOTH!"

The god appeared before her, "I hardly left by my time and already you're screaming my name. I had no idea you were so devoted."

"How can you be so calm? You _must _know what's happening! "

"Why are you so panicked? I'd hardly let those stupid infidels spoil my very near prophecy by killing him. Damage him a bit maybe but not _kill _him."

She stared, "I have no idea how anyone ever put up with you. You're an arrogant egotistical jerk." Turning, she ran from the flat, the vision swimming before her eyes.

Kyprioth sighed mournfully to himself. Why did his chosen always feel free to, and relish in insulting him? Ah well, it was a small price to pay. He grinned. "Phase one complete."

…………………

Lilith rushed onto the pavement, and followed a tugging in her mind that insisted she turn left and enter a part of Rajmuat that was heritage listed. **(A/N: Very unoriginal and unlikely I know, but please bear with me.) **Lost within a minute of entering the older part of town, She turned down an alley she glancing curiously around. She could've sworn the Carthaki had been in an _open_ place. She skidded to a halt at the muffled cry of pain that echoed from ahead. She realised she had no idea of exactly what she would once she _found_ these people.

_Kyprioth? _She asked mentally. The god didn't grace her with his presence. Slow to truly anger, Lilith nether the less once annoyed found it hard to forgive. Thought consuming anger filled her. What right had Kyprioth to sulk? He wasn't the one who'd had his life turned upside down! For that matter what right did that Carthaki or those stupid people who were forcing her to be here in the first place have mess up her _normal_ life? She wanted to be left in peace and all because she had to be interested in the bloody ruins she had a bloody god messing up her life. She hardly noticed the power that built up in her, just suddenly had the irrational need to yell at and kick the people who were messing up her life.

Power burning in her eyes Lilith continued until she caught sight of the source of her anger. She moved as though possessed and power exploded from her body in the form of light radiating from her in waves. It slammed them all against the wall.

"Enough! I've had enough! Stop messing with my life!" She glared at the people before her and if looks could kill she would have been left looking at a pile of corpses. One fell to her knees and began praying, calling on Lungkata to save them from the wrath of the she-demon. Incensed and oddly sickened by the sight Lilith shouted, "Go!" All except one jumped to their feet and ran for it.

"For fanatics they seem to have more brains than I thought possible" Lilith turned glowering at the owner of the smooth voice. "You! Where the hell were you when I needed help!?"

Kyprioth grinned. "But you did such a lovely job, in no way subtle but lovely all the same. Besides, I _told_ you I wouldn't let them _kill _him."

Lilith was filled with the sudden compulsion to punch him, but restrained herself -barely- as common sense finally took over. Mentally she pounded him over and over; it gave her a surprising amount of satisfaction.

Kyprioth chuckled, "That really is quite a vivid scene, I suggest you don't conjure them often, otherwise if I was mortal I would probably be comatose right now." He turned and faded into midair.

Staring at the spot he had disappeared from Lilith, jumped at the moan the issued from behind her. Spinning, she caught sight of the Carthaki, leaning heavily against the wall. Lilith fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze. He was staring at her with a mixture of pain and awe. Curiosity, wariness and common sense warred within him. He knew he should run while he had the chance but somehow he couldn't. Curiosity won.

"W-w-what_ are_ you?" His voice cracked. "The gift, I know, but what on earth was that?"

Drained Lilith slumped to the ground, ignoring the dirt, and leaning against the cool wall. "I wish I knew."

"Was that even an answer?"

"Hardly. Go away." Closing her eyes she tried to convince her exhausted body to get back up, so she could go home and collapse in bed. Giving up for the moment she realised the Carthaki was still there and still staring at her. "I thought I told you to go away."

"You did."

Staring hard at the guy Lilith retorted, "Then either you're exceptionally thick, and shouldn't be away from your keeper or I've finally gone completely mad."

"I tend to favour the second theory."

She snorted, "_You _would." Struggling to her feet she groaned as her body protested moving, and insisted the ground was way more comfortable. "Nice knowing you." Ignoring whatever reply he said she turned and walked in the direction she had come from.

Reaching the place where she had entered the alley Lilith looked at the unfamiliar busy street and sighed. Typical. Not only was she dead tired, and there were people running around calling her a she-demon but she was lost as well. She let back slide down the wall till she sat on the ground again as the world darkened. She really _had_ used a lot of energy.

…………………

She'd never made the journey so fast. Alanna the Lioness hardly paused to remove her dripping waterproof hat and cloak before throwing herself at her daughter.

"Oh Goddess! I'd thought I'd lost you! Again!"

Aly smiled weakly, ribs slowly being crushed, then managed to gasp, "I'm very hard to get rid of-,"

Gorge broke in, "But by the way your face is turning purple I'd guess she's doing a pretty good job…"

Almost sheepishly, the Lioness loosened her strangle hold so Aly could breathe.

"Thanks," gasped Aly rubbing her abused ribcage. She paused then asked hopefully, "I don't suppose Alan came with you did he?"

Her twin's wry voice answered from the doorway, "As if I would've stayed in Corus when I found out you were here, I just paused long enough to see the horses stabled…" He paused then looked away. "I thought you died," he whispered. "I lost the connection that told me how you were… when it came back… before I read the letter Da sent, I-I thought I'd gone mad…"

Aly pretended not to notice his overbright eyes -or the prickling in her own for that matter-as she hugged him.

…………………

Aly stood on the rampart of the walls that surrounded Pirates Swoop, looking at the mass of shifting shadows that spread from the wall out to the horizon. It was a carpet of blacks, greys and the occasional rare white. She thought it was appropriate, a symbol of the dark times she knew she was about to live in.

…_Guess we came up in a ghost town.  
Now all those buildings have burned down.  
Another price to be paid for being free…_

A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped even as she registered Alan's presence. She sighed, depressed. For a moment she had thought she was back _home, _and the hand was Nawat's, there to tell her to come back inside.

…_It's getting harder to see now that the lights have all gone out…_

"Hey," he said softly, and then joined me looking out over the parapet.

…_And all along they've been saying nothing new to me.  
Lately, seems right is wrong and wrong is everything we need maybe. _

…_And still the beds are burning, burning in our sleep.  
Take me away from everything I see…_

"It's not fair," Aly murmured softly. "Why did I they have to go?"

…_There's gunshots on the dance floor.  
Please tell me what do we die for?  
And by the way, yesterday, bet you were me…_

Alan sighed; still facing out into the night. "Who knows? I doubt even the god's do. Maybe you lived for a reason though. It wasn't your time. You have something left to do on this world."

"Whatever I do I'm not going to be able to escape what happened though. Everywhere I look something reminds me and then suddenly the world isn't as bright as it was a moment ago. Like tarnished silver. No matter how many times I try to gloss over it, it stays that way. It's like nearly every light in my life was extinguished, by one breath of time."

"Maybe you're trying to forget something you shouldn't. Maybe you shouldn't push it away, but accept it instead of letting it slowly poison you from the inside. Make it part of who you are now, and what you're going to do."

…_Seen hard days, probably see more.  
There's police at the front door saying  
"by the way, yesterday, heard you were free."…_

"And what makes you think I'm going to do anything?" The reproving look he gave her was answer enough. "Alright, alright. I'm going to do _something_…I just don't know what. Everything's been flipped upside down. I doubt anyone back home even knows I'm alive…I don't even know if anyone somehow survived and escaped my notice." There was a painful note of suppressed hope in her voice.

…_And all along they've been saying nothing new to me.  
Lately, seems right is wrong and wrong is everything we need maybe.  
And still the beds are burning, burning in our sleep.  
Take me away from everything I see…_

Aly sighed as he continued to look at her, eyes drilling into her skull. She looked back out at the vista below her. "You're probably right though. I probably did live for a reason…but it's beyond me why."

…_And we'll dance on the ashes of what's left,  
as long as these hearts beat in our chests.  
And we fell through the railings and pavements,  
while I wondered if they get what I get.  
And I promise you I won't be leaving,  
without taking you when I go.  
See the price of belief's in believing.  
Anywhere that we go we'll sing this same old song._

_And we'll be standing singing.  
As if it's life we're living.  
As if it's blood we're spilling.  
As if we're leaving here some day…_

…………………

**A/N: Well that's it for awhile. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**


	6. Just Perfect

**(I actually had this ready to post a couple of days ago but the site decided it wanted to be contrary…)

* * *

****A/N:Yeah, well, first update in awhile XD. It's short because I'm _meant_ to be studying…did I mention I hate exams? Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce. **

**Chapter 6: Just Perfect**

Aly shot out of her bed, the very stones beneath her feet seemed to groan, the clouds that had materialised a moment before broke and it began to rain instantly. Thunder split the sky, and the storm dispersed as quickly as it had formed. She hurried to the window staring at the sky. It was strangely dark… the new moon that had cast only a little light as it was seemed dull, almost lifeless. This couldn't be good… a heart wrenching cry split the stillness. Aly promptly turned and raced out of the room towards its source.

…………………

**(A/N: This next bit has Alanna a little bit OOC…just try to keep in mind what she's going through…) **She burst into her mother's room, and found George cradling Alanna as she trembled and shook. She clutched at his shirt, pale and sobbing for breath. _Oh please, no…_ "What happened?"

"T'was after that 'storm'. No idea what it was but t'wasn't natural."

"I-It's gone! My gift! Oh G-Goddess! George, I can't feel my gift!"

"Shh. Calm down. It can't be _gone_."

"It is! I can't feel it-,"

Aly swallowed hard, unable to believe what her Sight and her eyes told her brain. "D-Da? I-I must be ill or something. I can't see it."

George frowned distractedly up at her, "What?"

"Ma's gift! I can't_ see_ it!"

"See!" Screeched a nearly hysterical Alanna. "It's gone!"

George turned to her using his own Sight and swore.

Alanna regained some control of herself. "Oh crap! Look at my ember-stone! **(A/n: Is that spelt right?) **The stone darkened momentarily then split down the centre as the ember encased inside flickered then died.

The three of them shared a look. This did not bode well.

…………………

Jonathan of Conté, king of Tortall, stared out the window at the stormy sky, then placed his head in his hands in despair. The large group of people sitting at the large table before him shared stunned looks. No one had ever seen the King this…depressed. He looked up,

"What is happening? Our gifts are either gone or dwindling, and even those," he looked pointedly at the Lioness, "who are the chosen of certain gods cannot contact them. The prayers merely echo in an empty space." Taking a deep breath, he turned to George and Miles of Olau. "Is this isolated to Tortall?

Miles cleared his throat then said, "No, your Majesty. I've had reports from nearly all my agents. It's happening everywhere-,"

The doors flew open, and Numair Salmalin strode through the door, carrying Daine, who was white as a sheet and trembling badly. The wildmage looked unseeingly around the room eyes focusing on the Black-robe who carried her. "I'm deaf. Numair, I can't hear the animals. Not even kit! I can't hear the animals!"

Pale, the mage lowered his tall frame into a chair, holding onto Daine as she struggled. "It started this morning. Her wild magic's gone and-and I can feel the drain on my own power-" He looked sharply at Alanna. "Your aura-you too?"

"I'm not so lucky. Mine's gone completely…along with the ember-stone."

Numair gave her a sharp look. "Your gift and the ember-stone as well?"

She nodded.

"Along with everyone else's in this room," murmured Jon.

There was a silence, then a voice from the doors spoke up. "Your Majesty," said Aly with an exaggerated bow. "You'll forgive me for contradicting you, but my Sight is fine."

Numair's gazed focused on her. He nodded. "It's true…but it's not because it's the sight as opposed to the multipurpose gift. George and his mother have suffered a complete drain, like Alanna." He nodded in the respective people's direction.

"I take it you have a theory?" Asked Thayet.

"I did until Aly came in," he smiled wryly at the former Copper Isles spymaster.

"Let's hear it anyway," suggested George.

"Well, when Aly returned from the dead," she received another wry grin, "she told me'n George what had happened in Rajmuat. She told us that when she'd tried to contact Kyprioth…well it was eerily similar to what Alanna experienced. I didn't think of it until she mentioned it, but at the time I told them what the nature of the gift was; essentially a gift from the gods." He took a deep breath. "I also said that if the gods disappeared, it would mean the literal extinction of magic…" he let his voice trail off.

There were yells of protest from the gathering. Shouted comments that no one could make a god disappear. And what of Father Universe and Mother Flame; the _parents_ of the Gods and Chaos?

"QUIET!" Roared Jonathan. "I don't care how unlikely it seems, until we get an explanation that fits better than this one, that _somehow_ the gods are leaving is what we have to assume. Not a word of this must reach the public. We'd have full scale riots and destruction. Am I clear? _Not one word_."

George was the first to recover. He nodded, "Your majesty." This was followed by sounds of general agreement from the rest of the group.

"I have a theory," said Aly suddenly. "If you'll give me a moment…?"

Thayet and Jon nodded, and Aly closed her eyes. _'Kyprioth…' _she called softly. _'Kyprioth? I know you're there…' _She listened intently, disheartened by the echo that came back at her. She was about to give up when she felt a sudden jolt, and found herself flung into a black void.

Aly tried to scream but could make no sound. Slowly, ever so slowly she became aware of a spider web thin thread of light, spanning away from her on into the darkness. It pulsed, and thickened, drawing her forward. And then she saw him.

The Trickster's form guttered like a candle. …_Aly?... _The incredulous whisper, drifted through her mind, barely perceptible. …_What are you doing here? Is this _death_? What you mortals experience?..._

'_I'm not dead, Kyprioth. If I was I think you'd have disappeared like your parents and siblings.'_

…_But they're right here. Can't you see them Aly?..._

She turned incredulously, to where he gestured, and despite herself could see the dark shadows that clustered around the feeble light he cast. _They're gods? _Her mental voice whispered shocked.

The trickster nodded. _…I expect I'll join them soon; maybe it will be for the better…_

Aly felt a slow depression seeping into her very bones…she shook her head to clear it. It was this void she realised; it had a way of creeping into your mind and slowly extinguishing hope…_ 'No! You can't just leave/fade! What about your people! What about the Isles and the raka! You wait centuries to pull off your greatest trick and now your prepared to let it all go!?' _

A burning red-orange light streaked through the utter dark and she realised that she glowed predominately the same colour with a few others mixed in. _Anger, she thought. _She looked back at the god, whose aura was now shot with red. The darkness surged to extinguish it, and was pushed back as the light grew stronger. Kyprioth looked at her sharply.

…_What did you do?… _He raised a hand that no longer flickered. He seemed more solid; more real.

'_I believe, that was due to anger. It's this void; it sucks away all feelings then corrupts the mind with hopelessness.' _

More red filled the god's aura, and once again his image sharpened. _…Interesting…_

'_Sorry to interrupt but what exactly happened?'_

…_What? Oh… _The red light literally blazed around his accented by a dreary grey…_sorrow_?

_...There was a newcomer. He called himself Lungkata. He's a dirty cheating lizard man. No one has-had any idea where he came from. He simply arrived…and then the attacks came. I knew when the grey palace burned he was responsible. I was the first he banished here…_ he gestured to the void.

… _I don't know why but I didn't fade the way my siblings did…the only one I haven't seen here is Uusoae –God of Chaos-… But then she rules her own realm…not to mention she's confined there, until Mother Flame or Father Universe release her, but that might not happen now. Maybe if we'd realised in time and banded together, we could have stopped him. But it's too late now. Far too late…_His voice drifted off and he looked at her sharply,_…You'd better go, or they'll start worrying…_

He cut off any reply that she might have had saying, _…We'll talk again soon, and now that I'm aware of it, the void won't effect me. If Lungkata finds out…well look at the sky. There's gonna be a fireworks display that will be remembered for a _very_ long time… _as she felt herself being drawn from the void.

…………………

Aly opened her eyes slowly, scanning the anxious faces that surrounded her. Her voice cracked as she whispered,

"They're all there. All the gods except Uusoae who's still locked in the chaos realm." She nodded to the still pale, but otherwise calm, Daine. She could nearly feel the atmosphere in the room relax.

"But if they're all there why-"

"They're all trapped. They hardly exist, they're less than shadows of what they once were…all of them that is, except the trickster."

Lilith woke slowly. That had been…informative. She took in the darkening sky; and realised she'd been out longer than she thought.

"Just perfect. This couldn't possibly get wors-,"

Her words were cut off by a shout and Kyprioth's voice spoke in her ear, "Sorry about this my dear, but your so contrary, it had to be done."

"Over there!" A pedestrian who in Lilith's sight glowed with godhood yelled. A group of people separated from the crowd passing the alley on the side walk. Lilith gulped, scrambling to her feet. She backed into the alley-not the smartest thing she'd ever done she'd reflect later- as the group approached her.

One still dressed in black cried out, "It's her Jamil! There's the she-demon!"

Light bloomed and warned by some instinct Lilith dodged to one side as a spell ricocheted past to slam into the wall, and then continued on down the alley. Nothing drastic seemed to happen, and Lilith looked for the smoking hole she half expected to find. So it was, she was hit by the next spell and felt her limbs legs and arms lock.

"Oh crap," the voice of the Carthaki issued dryly from behind her as Lilith tried in vain to turn her head, "a_nother_ mage." Something was mumbled behind her and her limbs unlocked. Light flashed past her and struck the offending mage in the left shoulder, with enough force to turn him in a complete circle before he collapsed.

"Hurry!" The Carthaki grabbed Lilith's arm and dragged her down the alley. She raced alongside him and nearly lost her balance as she was dragged around a corner and down yet another alley. She lost track of how many twists and turns they made, speeding up when they could once again hear the sound of pounding feet behind them.

Sometime later they skidded to a halt, doubled over and gasping for air.

"D'ya. Think. We. Lost. them?" Lilith gasped.

"I. Hope. So. Because. We. Can't. run. Any. Further."

As air flooded her lungs Lilith's brain began to function properly again, "Well whoever you are, mage or not, you're right about one thing," she flopped to the ground, "I couldn't walk another step. By the way, my name's Lilith."

White teeth flashed in the gloom of the alley as the Carthaki grinned, "Tau, I believe a certain Trickster may have referred to me as from the south or as the Southerner? He has no imagination when it comes to names."

Lilith groaned then said vehemently. "Well, at least you have the right attitude towards the bastard. The next time I see him…"

"Sorry?"

"Nothing." She glared at the piece of sky that showed between the buildings, seeming to mock her dark mood with its brightness. It should've been raining.

She sighed, this was stupid. Ah well it couldn't get any worse, she'd already insulted a god and had run blind after a vision she could hardly top that, by talking to a near complete stranger who was as crazy as she was… After all that stranger had helped her and it wasn't everyday you were chased by a bunch of fanatics all convinced you were evil incarnate. And speaking of fanatics…

"To answer your question, yes, he did refer to you as the Southerner. I don't spose he tried to convince you to let him make it a prophecy? No? Lucky bastard…I'm using that word a lot…but anyway, the Trickster, he has, shall I say, a very interesting view on your livelihood…KYPRIOTH!"

"Ah, the merry sound of your dulcet tones once again graces my ears-no wait that was someone else, a long time ago. I mean, who in this _modern_ age would respect the _only remaining god of the old pantheon_?"

Tau who was still standing fought the compulsion to kneel. Grimly he remained standing; watching as Lilith, -seemingly with no reservations at taking out some grievance on the god- proceeded to yell at him. Privately he wondered if she was sane, and then shrugged the thought away, anyone who was associated with the Trickster was hardly going to be normal.

"I'm not in the mood for dealing with your ego… and you're still an arrogant egotistical jerk-,"

"I'm hurt you would think such of me."

"Damn right you should! What the hell d'you think you were doing! Pointing me out TO THE BLOODY FANATICS, WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE AFTER OUR BLOOD! I THOUGHT YOU WANTED US TO _LIVE-_," She stopped eyes widening. "You planned that!"

The god grinned, "And you finally caught on…"

Tau looked from god to Lilith and back. "He planned what?"

"That-that," she sighed, "…I give up. There are no words in this language to describe you-,"

"I'm flattered."

Tau coughed pointedly.

"Oh right. Sorry-,"

"I planned nothing."

"Uh huh, that's why you so pointedly told me you didn't mind if Tau was _damaged-_"

"_What!?_"Tau yelped, but was ignored by both.

"It was easier for you to find him yourself. You were going to be so contrary, about it all-"

"But did I have to use bloody _magic _and be chased by crazed _fanatics!? _You could've just _told _me, as revolutionary as that thought may be! Maybe next time I want to talk to you, I won't _call_,I'll bring a club to beat you over the head with to get your attention!"

"I rest my case. Just look at your reaction to _this_. How else am I meant to convince you, you're needed. It's not as if I would let you be killed by the groups you're meant to put an end to-,"

"That makes me feel a hell-of-a-lot better! We wouldn't have _died_. They're free to cut off our limbs one by one as long as they don't kill us, through shock or blood loss! Why thankyou for your considerate generosity!"

The trickster gave a flippant bow, "Always happy to be of service," and disappeared.

Still furious, she noticed Tau staring at her again. "What!"

He cringed and fought the urge to take a step backwards. "Nothing…" he mumbled.

……………………

**A/N: Well how was that? Please review!**


	7. Curse

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP.**

**Chapter 7: Curse**

The plane jolted alarmingly, the lights flickering as the music he was listening to cut out. 'Not a good sign,' thought the black haired guy seated by the window. Their speed decreased alarmingly, and his adoptive sister, Julia, sitting beside him gasped in alarm as the pilot's voice blared through the speaker.

"…one of our engines has over heated and had to be shut down. Since we're a few minutes from our destination we'll continue onto the Copper Isles airport…" his voice droned on and Takeshi shut it out impatiently, watching Julia fidgeting nervously in her seat. With a sigh, he opened a newspaper and proceeded to do the daily sudoku; he couldn't exactly do anything about the plane's engine, he reasoned…except panic which was no good to anyone.

……………………

He had never seen someone so glad to get off a plane. Julia raced out of the machine as though it was a coffin. He smirked, as he continued to walk leisurely from the aircraft. He met her at the escalator leading from the 'arrivals' section of the airport. She immediately burst out,

"Takeshi, there you are! I never want to go on a plane again! I told you something would go wrong!"

"It didn't. We're alive aren't we? I'm sure they do that in simulation all the time."

She glared, "That make me feel heaps better. They do it all the time in simulation! How could you spend time in a plane that could've crashed, with lights flickering and everything, DOING A SUDOKU!?! You're hopeless! "

"And you're a lost cause. I should get you a certificate made."

Julia chose to ignore him. "When plane engines overheat, they explode baka!" She yelled, calling him an idiot in his native language.

"Hai. But it didn't."

"That's not the point-oh I give up!"

"I knew you'd come round eventually."

Julia glared, "Bastard. You always have to have the last word." She yelled over her shoulder as she stomped towards the escalator. Takeshi grinned and followed. Well, they were here. Now they just had to figure out where that supposed god, Kyprioth or whatever his name was, wanted them to go.

……………………

Lilith sat at her desk head in her hands. There was a knock at her door, and with an impatient sigh she hurried through her flat and opened it. It was Tau grinning broadly and two others.

"Hey!"

"Hello. Why are you here, and who are they?"

"Geez. That was such a nice welcome for the person who saved you from crazed fanatics and an angry mage."

Lilith snorted. "Sure. And the people attacking you just melted into thin air, and _then_ I arrived?"

"Is she always this grumpy?" Demanded the woman who stood there. "'Cause if she is, Takeshi and her'll get along just fine."

Lilith glared at her. She was an average height, with fair skin and brown hair streaked with blond highlights. She wore a skirt and a bright pink top, with a matching hand bag. Lilith shuddered. She was _not_ going to like this person. One, she was already annoying and she'd first set eyes on her a minute ago. For another, she was wearing _pink_ and a _skirt_.

She saw the other woman come to a similar conclusion about her, as she took in her baggy cargo pants, sneakers and black T-shirt. This would be interesting. She grinned, not realising how evil it made her look. Oh yes, this would be interesting. "I have a name you know. It's Lilith. And you'd be?"

"Julia," was the cold reply.

Tau coughed pointedly, breaking their staring contest.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Muttered Lilith and stepped back to let him, Julia –who by her guess was Tortallan- and a Yamani into the flat. Closing the door she turned to follow the others into the flat. A voice from behind her commented,

"I see me'n Tau are going to have to put up with World War III. Try not to scare Julia too badly. I'm Takeshi."

Lilith jumped in surprise then put on her best 'innocent' face, "What makes you think that? I wouldn't hurt a fly." Which was true, she thought. But Julia wasn't a fly.

He laughed, "I know her too well to doubt it , she's my adoptive sister. At least now I know why the Trickster came to you first."

It was infectious. Lilith grinned slightly in return, "Oh it'll just be a little bit of fun…and from what she said your hardly perfect."

"Oh I am actually. I just constantly have to try to live up to expectations. Apparently I'm an insufferable idiot with an ego to match."

She grimaced, "Just what we need; more over inflated male egos." Flopping down on the couch as far away from Julia as she could get, who was leaning against the wall opposite. Lilith turned to Tau. "How long do you think it will be?"

"At least a minute or so."

"Nah, more like 5 seconds."

Julia and Takeshi looked from one to the other completely lost. Lilith was counting out loud which only increased their confusion. "…5…4…3…2.5…2…1.5…1…"

"Hello my dears," a familiar voice commented.

"Hah! Told you!" Lilith crowed gleefully.

"That was longer! You're not allowed to do halves!"

"Children, children," Kyprioth's voice mocked. "I'm sure this is very entertaining, but really…" his voice trailed off.

Tau grinned and Lilith grimaced then twisted to face the god. "So Kyprioth, we have the people, now what do we do?"

"If you'd let me do a prophecy you'd already know," he said sulkily.

"Not that damned prophecy again!"

"Yes 'that damned prophecy'. Really," he turned to Julia, "I spent half my time locked away in a void, and then went to all the effort to make a prophecy that no one will ever hear because _she_ refuses to listen." He sighed woefully.

"That's terrible! How could she do something like that?"

'Really,' Lilith thought, 'she plays the air headed suck up, way to well for comfort.'

"Quite easily. Lilith here hasn't got any respect for me, you see. She yells at me and calls me an egotistical jerk," he put a hand to his heart theatrically, "no matter how much it hurts me."

Lilith snorted. "Poor you. I'd feel sorry for you and your tragic existence, except, well, I don't."

"See!"

"You need someone to burst that bubble you've built and let reality in every now and again."

"I don't recall hiring you."

"Well," she smiled sweetly, "that's just too bad 'cause _I _do."

"Not only is she totally unsympathetic, she's delusional as well. Great," muttered the god.

"Now who's being the child," Tau commented amiably. "Well, oh great and mystical one, what do we have to do?"

"I thought it was obvious. You begin to search."

"Search?" They chorused.

"Yes search, dear children." He said as though talking to three year olds. "You search for the Cunning One."

…_Aly!…_

The voice wove through the warm, comfortable blanket of sleep. It was strangely familiar, and sounded urgent, but sleep was just too comfortable. And it was such a nice dream…

…_Aly m'dear if you don't wake up _now…_ let's just say you're going to have trouble breathing_…

Kyprioth! Her eyes shot open, and she bolted upright in time to see the dark figure that had loomed above her staggered backwards with a grunt of surprise. Feeble moonlight glinted off something in the dark, and she rolled as the dagger thumped into the mattress where she'd lain a moment ago. The movement took her off the edge of the bed and she swore as she hit the cold floor. Jumping to her feet she fumbled for the knives that kept her constant company, trying to keep the bed between her and her unknown attacker. She performed the mental twist that improved her night vision **(A/N: Wasn't sure she could do that. Anyone know for sure?) **brining the shadowed room into a clearer focus. She raised an arm to throw a knife but the dark figure smashed into the bed, forcing it back into her. She grunted in pain and swore as it connected with her knee. The knife she'd thrown, was knocked off course, and missed their neck, to thud instead into the muscle of their shoulder.

"Bitch!" A male voice snarled. "Hell's spawn! Your very existence is an affront to my Lord! Your life ensures the last false god's survival. You will both die here and now!"

He forgot the bed, and she muttered, "Returned with compliments," as she shoved it back into him forcing him to stumble back, into the wall. It was all she needed, and within moments had him pinned against the wall both arms twisted up behind his back. Freeing one hand she removed the knife where it had stuck precariously into the assassins shoulder, and cleaned the blade on his shirt. "Thanks for keeping my knife safe. Now if you don't mind I'd like some questions answered. Like who-the-hell you serve, and how being a god could be an affront to them?" She paused, "Oh, and one other thing. How'd you know Kyprioth was the last god and that I served him?"

"How else, m'Lord told me."

"Really. And does this _Lord_ happen to have a real name?" Aly jumped as he laughed maniacally. The sound wasn't human. It rolled like thunder around the room and Aly recoiled as his body lengthened and twisted impossibly in her grip. She fought the urge to gag as the skin she held bubbled and settled into scales.

The man screamed and Aly stumbled backwards, still gripping her knife as the gold glow of godhood settled around him, strangely tainted with red. The man screamed again. "NO! My Lord, please!"

The voice that emerged from him was slightly hissing, "You failed. Now you must pay the price." The man screamed again, abruptly cut off, as the godhood that surrounded him pulsed. The body stopped shuddering then turned slowly, accompanied by the sound of scales dragging against the stone floor. The hissing voice continued, "Ah, and you must be my dear former Copper Isles Spymaster. You've no idea how annoyed I was when I found you didn't die in that fire. After all the trouble I went to, to ensure that everyone would be trapped inside. And that queen! She nearly got away too. I underestimated the general's strength. But no matter, they're both dead. Now I only have two more loose ends to tie. One of them being you and the other the god you serve."

Aly stumbled backwards, with a cry of revulsion, as a clawed and scaled mockery of a human hand reached from within the cloak the concealed it. She gagged again as the sweet smell of decay swamped her.

"Now you will both die!" Aly felt herself slammed into the wall behind her with enough force to break her ribs. A sickening crack told her Lungkata had succeeded in that at least, making every indrawn breath fell like breathing fire.

Still pinned to the wall she watched with newly dawning horror as those hands reached for the cowl of the cloak and drew it back, revealing what it had hidden. She screamed, her ribs protesting every breath. Her mind refused to accept what stood before her; there were no words to describe it. Forcing herself to quiet, she focused on its eyes. The only thing she could bare to look at and to close her eyes was to be blind. The slitted pupils regarded her with sadistic amusement.

"Does my appearance bother you?" The eyes glinted maliciously and she struggled to free herself from whatever kept her pinned, "Good." Lungkata reached for her throat. Before he could touch her light blazed from her body. The lizard-man swore, as a ghostly vision of Kyprioth appeared before him, angrier even then when Sarai had eloped.

"You shall not harm her."

Lungkata lunged forwards only to slam into an invisible barrier, and Aly slumped against the wall, the power that had held her released as she felt her broken rib/s heal. The two gods fought, and Aly slowly became aware of knife she still clutched. Rasing herself she aimed and released it. It passed through the ghostly Kyprioth, to slam into one of Lungkata's eyes. She hadn't expected it to do anything, had thought he would deflect it, but he howled in pain, as the knife fell from his ruined eye. He backed away from the vision of Kyprioth, remaining eye never leaving the ex-spymaster.

"You will pay for killing my loved ones, for causing so much pain and misery to others," she whispered. "As the gods are my witness, I will not rest until you and your memory are forever destroyed."

The lizard-man's single eye glinted in the weak moonlight that came from the window. "Oaths of revenge will avail you naught. You are mine, bitch, to do with as I please. There will be a time when _he_," he spat at Kyprioth's image, "will not be there to save you. Then you will be mine." Magic laced with lightning seared through Kyprioth's image. She smelt burning flesh, and looked down in time to see a small lizard burnt into the back of her hand. Then the pain hit.

_She screamed, and felt another scream with her as the world twisted into a weird limbo, "You and your descendants will carry that mark until the end of time; until my vengeance is complete and I have annihilated you all. You and all who carry it are forever damned, while I exist." _

Aly was flung from the timeless place, to view the wreckage of her room, still smoking slightly. Try as she might she could not escape into blissful unconsciousness. She watched the door swing open and then suddenly there was nothing but Kyprioth glowing form. Reaching out he gently touched her forehead.

…_Sleep and heal, dear one, you may have won the battle, but the war is far from over…_

Aly's last conscious thought, before she slipped into oblivion, was that she didn't have any descendants, and never would, so how could her mark be passed on?…

……………………

Lilith sat up from her slumped position on her couch with an involuntary cry. She trembled uncontrollably. Lungkata's image burned in her mind every time she closed her eyes. There was a searing pain in the back of her hand and with dread she looked down at the birthmark she had carried her entire life. The one shaped like a lizard.

**A/N: I hope that wasn't corny...it seemed like it when I wrote it. Ah well. I would've made it longer but it was kind of hurried because I'm going down the coast which means no internet -sigh-. Anyway, please Review! ****-puppy dog eyes-…please? Lol. **


	8. Paths

**a/n: Yay! Thanks heaps to everyone who reviewed!! XD **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP.**

**Chapter 8: Paths**

George, Alanna, Numair and Daine stood in the open doorway of the room staring, open mouthed at the smoking remnants of what could once have been called furniture. They watched as Aly clutching one hand to her chest, turned her head slightly to look at them with pain filled eyes, and then looked straight above her at something only she could see. Her body relaxed and the watched as multiple small cuts and bruises closed and faded as though they had never existed. She sighed in relief and then slumped, unconscious.

George hurried forward, neatly sidestepping what could have been a desk. Aly didn't even stir.

……………………

Aly opened heavy eyelids, and found herself blissfully free of pain. She sat up with a groan, forcing herself to discard the remnants of sleep. Looking around she found herself in a room completely free of smoking debris and wondered for a blissful second if she had only dreamed Lungkata. She immediately rejected the idea, his image and promise still burned in her mind way too vividly for a memory of a dream. She looked down and the back of her left hand, at the lizard shaped scar. She'd half hoped Kyprioth would have been able to heal it as well…she shuddered, and returned to studying the mark. It spread from just below her knuckles, leaving the lizards tail to curl around her wrist.

"Interesting scar you've got there."

Aly started, and looked up to see Daine standing on the threshold, leaning on the door frame. She grinned, and replied, "I thought so too. Unfortunately, I think there's going to be more to it than just what I can see of it."

Daine appeared not to notice staring blankly out the window. For the first time Aly realised just what it meant to Daine that all the gods to be locked away, fading in a void. A demigoddess in her own right, her father, mother and friends would be trapped there. Her own wild magic had been leached from her with her parents. She would be imprisoned in the void too if she hadn't chosen Numair and the mortal realms over the divine. "Daine…I'm sorry…it must be hard…"

Daine started and seemed to reawaken, the grin that followed a bit forced. "I'll live," her eyes darkened and her face lost all trace of the grin. "Here I am troubling you with my worries when you've already got enough to deal with." She sighed, "I should go," then turned and left closing the door quietly behind her. Aly stared at the door for a few moments, and then turned her thoughts away from Daine's misery. Daine would have to deal with it in her own way. Dressing slowly, she recalled the weeks she'd spent with her family. It was all well and good to see them again, but there was nothing she could do here. Aly longed for the Isles, in a way she'd never thought possible. After all those who'd died there she'd been prepared never to set foot on them again. 'I should have known myself better,' she thought grimly. She'd come here to get information, she could only find here. The former spymaster already had half of what she needed from Numair. But now, now she needed all the information that only her father and grandfather could give her.

The two men studied her face. George sighed, "Nothing we say is going to change your mind is it?"

"No. I'm leaving and nothing can change that Da. I have to go back or I think I'll go mad. I can't sit here and let some-some **_–insert colourful word of choice-_ **_scum _do this to my home, my country. 'Cause _it is_ my country. Once this place was home, and it will always be special because of all you guys…but its not home. Besides, I made a promise."

"A promise?" prompted Myles.

"Well, more like a vow actually. But it's a vow as binding as a blood oath, and one which I fully intend to keep."

"Care to enlighten us," said her father dryly. It wasn't a question.

"I believe my words were, 'You will pay for killing my loved ones, for causing so much pain and misery for others. As the gods are my witness, I will not rest until you and your memory are forever destroyed.'"

"Wonderful," muttered George.

"And who was this vowed to, when was it done and why can't you break it?"

"Interrogating your own granddaughter now? Very well. It was to Lungkata after I knifed one of his eyes, last night when he tried to kill me."

George sat bolt upright, "He _WHAT!?! You did what!?!"_

"Tried to kill me," Aly repeated calmly. "And I blinded him in one eye and swore to obliterate him and his memory."

"MITHROS Aly! How the hell'd you manage to get a god's _eye_!?!"

She shrugged, "I picked up a knife and chucked it at him."

"Ha ha, very funny," said Myles stopping George's imminent tirade.

"I imagine he wasn't pleased? Hence this, 'as binding as a blood oath'?" Asked George in a dangerously calm voice.

"He snarled at me, told me how worthless I was, and that one day Kyprioth wouldn't be around to help me like he did last night and then I would be his. He shot some weird lighting-magic stuff which burned my hand. Oh yeah," she added casually as though the memory didn't bother her in the least. "He also made a vow. 'You and your descendants will carry that mark until the end of time; until my vengeance is complete and I have annihilated **(a/n: love that word)** you all. You and all who carry it are forever damned whilst I exist.' I'd say that extends into the afterlife as well." With the same casual manner she held out her left hand to show them the mark. "Even Kyprioth couldn't get rid of it when he healed me."

"Stop now," George mutter disgustedly. "It just gets worse every time you open your mouth."

Myles sighed, "We obviously can't convince you not to leave and whatever you do in the Isles can only aid us here so the sooner you go the better-"

"Let's get this over with." George interrupted. He turned to Aly, "What do you need to know?"

Aly let the cool night breeze play across her face, and pluck at her clothes. Corus' lights and that of the surrounding area, spread out below her like a thousand kilometres of fire. It was so similar to Rajmuat in so many ways…yet it wasn't Rajmuat and this wasn't the Grey Palace.

She felt Kyprioth's presence even before he appeared. The former spymaster refused to acknowledge it, and expected that at any moment, he would announce his presence in his usual loud manner. But he didn't. He simply stood and waited until she turned.

"Why did this happen? What should I have done? What did I miss?" She whispered.

Somehow, he knew what she was talking about. "Why does anything have to end Aly? It just does. Everything seems to be fine, and you're in control of your life one moment, and the next your entire world if flipped upside down." His voice was heavy with remorse, which startled her. She'd seen him not even bat an eyelid at the death of two little boys. "I could focus on the past, on the 'what if's and 'if only's. I could also live in a dreamland and pretend everything is as it was, but then I wouldn't be able to find the will to live because reality lurks around every corner. That void was the closest I've ever come to death of a sort, and believe it or not it changed me. Watching your siblings and parents fade, realising that you aren't as immortal and all powerful as you thought you were, they were…it altered my view on a lot of things. Not in a way you would notice, but it did. Maybe even for the better."

'It changed him alright,' thought Aly. 'I've never seen-never thought I'd see him so serious and almost sad about another's fate…even if they were his parents and siblings. He seemed older.' Aly turned to look back out over the balcony. "Alan told me something that helped. He told me that I'd lived for a reason. I know what that is now," she said ruefully, rubbing her scar, "but if I succeed what do I do then? What will there be left for me to live for? Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to just finish this and my life. And then I remember Lungkata and what he did…"

Kyprioth smiled slightly. "I live now to seek revenge. It feels wrong and warped; my life somehow tarnished when I dwell on the fact, but what else have I to live for? The rest of it was wiped out, but at least for the moment I live. After? Who knows? But I can only affect the present, so for now at least, I live. That is all you, I or anyone can do."

Aly laughed suddenly, "Look at us! The Trickster and his chosen, having a _serious _conversation! We haven't been sarcastic, or even thrown a single veiled insult." She laughed again.

Kyprioth grinned ruefully, and then laughed as well. Grimly, he thought, 'Laugh now, while you can Aly, and savour it. On the path ahead there won't be many occasions you can.' He looked across at Aly, her face still lit with a grin. She would be the lightning amongst the storm clouds. There for two purposes, to strike and to light the way.' He leaned against the railing and stared out over Corus with her. The many paths of the future spread out before his eyes. 'Truly,' he thought bleakly, 'these are dark times to live in.'

……………………

The quiet sound of breathing was the only noise that filled the dark living room. Lilith sat staring down at the lizard mark on the back of her hand, as Lungkata's words and image swirled before her. Forcing herself to move, she looked around. Tau lay slumped on the other couch, and she'd offered Julia her room. Takeshi was asleep where he had been sitting at the table. She raised her left hand to brush some hair from her face and again stared numbly at the mark on her hand, Lungkata's words swirling through her mind. _…You are your descendants will carry that mark until the end of time… _His image had been welded onto the inside of her eyelids and she couldn't close them without seeing his face. Shuddering uncontrollably, she started, as a hand touched her shoulder. A cry of fright died on her lips as she recognised the dark figure that loomed over her.

"Are you alright?" Asked Takeshi. "You cried out. Tau must sleep like a log."

Lilith gave a strained grin, "I'll be fine."

"And that's why you're still shaking?"

"I'll be fine." 'Whatever path I'm on,' thought Lilith, 'it's not going to be easy.'

**a/n: Geez, this took me ages, and it's so small…that can't be right. The ratio of time-and-effort : result should be equal, dammit! Anyway, that's enough complaining etc. from me; please review! **


	9. Welcome Home

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP. (Anyone else read Terrier? That was awesome! XD) **

**Chapter 9: Welcome Home**

A dishevelled Aly, sat, leaning against a wall at the mouth of an alley, barely distinguishable from the shadows in the darkness. Dressed in loose rags and far from clean, she was just one of the many inhabitants of the streets of Rajmuat. She'd been aware of a pair of eyes watching her for sometime now. The owner of the gaze fixed on her shifted slightly in the alley behind her, as she stood with a groan and trudged across the road and into yet another dark alley, of mazelike Rajmuat. She grinned, wondering how long they would be able to follow her. She knew every twist and turn of this city. That included the sewers.

She listened to the light steps behind her that echoed her own, and her curiosity got the better of her. No thief, who had any sense, would stalk her to try to steal from her. Not a person who, once studied, moved with the agile grace of a trained fighter, and on a closer inspection carried well used knives concealed on her person…unless it was another fanatical assassin. 'Better to be safe than sorry,' she thought grimly. Aly took the next turn, and backtracked, re-entering the alley well behind the person who had been following her. Their dark figure blocked the soft light that was cast by the moon. They paused for a moment, then continued forward peering into the darkness that shrouded the alley ahead.

Sidling along the wall behind them she knew with dread that _something_, was ahead. The scar on her hand glowed, and then throbbed. Aly smothered a gasp of pain, and began to back away slowly, clutching her hand to her chest, and biting her lip to keep from crying out. A fight broke out ahead of her. As a group of four, leapt from where they had been hidden in the shadows. She watched as the figure that had followed her yelled as they disappeared into the centre of a group. Her retreating back slammed into an invisible barrier that blocked the alley. Her hand pulsed again, and the lizard seemed to come alive, its body constructed of reddish light a clearly defined lizard-shape but with no features. It detached itself from her skin and twisted to face her.

"You can't hide Aly," Lungkata's voice hissed. "As long as you bear that mark I will always know where you are…Welcome Home," he laughed, "you're going to be…leaving again real soon…"

She _screamed. _It was the combined result of his appearance, her frustration and the burning pain that shot from her hand along her arm, as the lizard dug corporal claws into her, and then became indistinct sinking back into her skin. The invisible wall wrapped around her, pressing in on all sides, until she was completely immobilised. Her stunned mind tried to comprehend what was happening. This was magic…why couldn't she _see_ it? It hit her then, the pain from her hand, and with surprising clarity she saw the blinding glow from her hand again, forming an ark around her. 'Of course,' she thought. 'It glows with magic not with light.'

Aly screamed again it throbbed and the walls began to crush her. She fought, them, and with a sudden jerk, her left arm, the one that had the cursed mark, broke free. Frantically, she tried to calm herself, bracing the arm against the wall that crushed her from the front. There had to be a mage, it couldn't be crushing her by itself. It was just a focus, provided by Lungkata, to bypass any protection Kyprioth had given her.

Narrowing her eyes, she searched for the telltale light of the gift, which appeared with the help of her Sight. There was a grunt of pain from somewhere ahead as the person that had followed her was flung into someone she couldn't see. The magic faltered, and then the 'wall' that surrounded her shattered. Aly stumbled and regained her balance in time to dodge a kick to her stomach. She let two knives slide into her hands and braced herself, eyes darting around trying to see the black clad people in the dim light. A slight flicker of movement to her far left caught her attention and she spun knife slashing at the throat of her attacker as the other smashed the hand that held their weapon into the wall. Darting backwards, to dodge a second assailant's simultaneous attack from her right, she felled them with a punch to the jaw, weighted with her knife's hilt, their head slammed into the wall with an audible thud and Aly winced, momentarily distracted.

A fist from behind punched her in the kidney, grabbing one of her arms and twisting it up behind her, as she felt the wall spell beginning to re-establish itself. She let the grip she had on her knife hilt slacken and swung around to elbow them in the stomach with her free arm. Their grip –both physical and magical- slackened slightly, and Aly twisted free whirling to face this new attacker. They glowed with the magical fire of the gift in her Sight. So this was the mage.

The mage circled her warily, expecting her to attack. They lunged in and she danced to the side, swiping with her knife. She didn't have time for this. They changed direction and circled to her left. Aly paused, hefted her knife, and threw it with all her strength into the mage's chest. Stunned, the mage blinked, mouth opening and closing in surprise, as they tried to from words, then their eye's rolled up into their head and they collapsed.

Looking around the now silent alley she relaxed slightly. She knew there was no one left as she bent to retrieve her knife from the mage's chest. "Idiot," she sighed, then added "We're all idiots." She turned and found the body of the second person who'd attacked her. She'd been hoping he was only unconscious but he'd managed to crack his skull against the cobbled stone ground. With a curse she searched the body and then the others. All she found was a lizard shaped iron medallion, on a cord around their necks. She paused a moment to say a prayer for those she'd just killed. Turning to continue up the alley, she nearly tripped over the semiconscious form of the person who had followed her.

"Well you obviously weren't the fanatic I thought you were," she muttered aloud. "So who are you?" Aly turned them so she could see their face. A teenage boy lay there. He had the dark skin and hair of a full blood raka. He groaned, and blinked, looking blearily up at her.

"Wha-who-how…" his voice trailed off, as to be on the safe side, she held her newly reclaimed knife to his throat and growled,

"Unless you want gills, I suggest you let me ask the questions. You just be a good kid and answer them."

Lilith blinked, clearing the vision from her eyes, annoyed that someone had disturbed her just when it was getting interesting. 'Well,' she thought, 'that wasn't completely true. The bit about the lizard-mark thingy was _very_ interesting.' She glanced up and glared at whoever it was that kept on insisting that she pay attention to them and _only _them. Wincing, as she was reminded of where she was and just _who_ it was.

"Yes, Julia?" She sighed.

"Should I get this top or this one?" she asked.

Lilith sighed and randomly pointed. "That one's nice." She blinked and looked at the top, cringing inwardly as a white and hot pink singlet assailed her eyes. She wouldn't be caught _dead_ in that… Julia seemed, completely immune to her glares and utterly ignorant that the other woman with her was less than pleased at being here.

"Oh good! I can get it for you then."

"WHA- N- I-Well, uh, no thanks. You really don't have to-"

"But it would look great on you! And I can't find my size. It's perfect!"

"No. Really. You don't-" Julia ignored her completely, and dragged her to the counter. "And while we're here why don't you try on some other stuff? You must get sick of t-shirts and jeans or cargo pants."

"No, actually, I like them." Lilith muttered darkly.

"And those shoes! Do you wear anything other than joggers?"

"They're comfortable, and unlike you I will be able to run or walk a distance. It's important when you could be chased by fanatics; which, by the way, I should be researching now instead of doing _this_. But you won't hear any of this so I don't know why I bother." Lilith was amazed as even part of that registered on the other woman.

"Fanatics?"

'Anything but the shirt,' she thought grimly. This _had _to be better. "Didn't Tau tell you?" She asked sweetly. "I rescued him from a bunch of Lungkata's fanatics. And then I got hit by a spell and he helped me, but they were all after our blood."

"Now I think about it he did mention something about you having the gift, though it was more like the Sight…just more powerful…" The shirt hung limp from her hand and Lilith eyed it warily, and then decided to ignore it. Julia continued, "He said he was a mage-,"

"Uh," Lilith interrupted softly. "Maybe you shouldn't be talking about magic and all that, you know, out in the open…"

Julia continued as though she hadn't said anything. Lilith shut out her prattling voice, eyes darting around over her shoulder. Where had all the people gone? Uneasy, she snatched the shirt with one hand and grabbed Julia's arm with the other. "Quiet!" She ordered as Julia protested, "Where'd everyone go?"

She quieted immediately, eyes suddenly cool, as they darted around. "No idea. Fire alarm?"

"Nup." Lilith gasped in pain as her lizard mark throbbed. "Oh hell, not now…" Julia suddenly grabbed her arm, staring intently at the mark.

"Where on earth did you get that? It literally oozes power."

"Later. Just trust me, we've gotta get out of here. Now."

Julia nodded and turned towards the entrance to the shop, dragging Lilith by the arm. They both slammed into an eerily familiar 'wall' as the mark began to glow. Julia put up a hand curiously, "What the hell…"

"Do you have the gift? 'Cause if you do now is the time to use it."

"Yeah of course I-What?"

"Apparently I have power, but I've no idea how to use it. Unless you can shield this thing so it can't be used as a focus…"

Thin brows snapped together, "A focus? What kind-,"

"We don't have time for this! Do it!"

"I can't-," Julia watched incredulously as the glowing mark twisted and detached itself from her hand, red-light spreading in waves from it to surround them. Without a thought, she slapped a hand glowing with blue-green gift over it. Her hand tightened convulsively, and the pain swelled as the two magic's clashed, giving off purplish sparks where they touched. "Ow!" She gasped eyes watering as some red touched her.

Lilith winced in sympathy and bit her lip until it bled, "If it's bad for you imagine what it's like having this thing directly on your skin-oh not now!" She glared at the approaching group of people. She had no doubt who the mage in front was. What had the other fanatic called him? Jamil? "We have to get out of here! Kyprioth! Make this magic work! _Do something _dammit!" Julia looked up as she felt power of an unimaginable magnitude swell with in her companion. She was in time to see the surrounding shop flicker and become indistinct, as light blazed from her and then she was dragged after Lilith through the darkness, a line of light branching from them, connecting them to something unseen in the darkness.

Jamil watched as light bloomed around the two figures, and as their forms faded so too did the spell he'd cast, to hem them in. He let the others with him run forward, with cries of frustration and anger. He waved a hand and the air around them warped, the illusion he had cast disappearing, revealing the deserted, and bare room to let. He'd almost had the girl, had been this close to fulfilling his master's wishes and bringing her to him. But the power it had taken to move them…power she obviously had a limited control over, if what she had shouted was to be believed. The mage walked to the window, leaning on the sill he whispered to himself, "With that power…What on earth are you?"

**A/N: For once in my life, I actually planned what I was going to write, properly. God, I feel so…organised –shudder-. Thanks again to the people who reviewed! Hope you people had a great Christmas! XD. Please review!**


	10. A Black Kudarung

**A/N:-dances- 30 reviews! Yes! Ahahahahahaha! You people are great! And because I'm so happy I tried to make this longer. Gah! You know you've watched too much of something, when the theme song gets embedded in your brain. –Thumps head on desk- Get. Out. I'm. Trying. To. Write.**

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce. **

**Chapter 10: A Black Kudarung**

Julia coughed, and sat up. She was in impenetrable darkness, and the air was stale and musty. She stared ineffectively around before she thought to use her gift to cast light. It illuminated a small stone chamber. She froze at the sound of approaching shuffling footsteps. Lilith appeared in a dark corner which turned out to be a door way. She cursed, even as Julia watched stepping into the glow cast by Julia and groaned,

"Why the hell can't I do that?"

Julia shrugged an evil grin on her face. "I could have saved you stumbling around if you'd waited. To think, you're power can do something as amazing as to take us here, but not do something as simple as cast light…"

"Shuddap," muttered Lilith sourly. "It's not like I can control it any better than that mark. In case you're interested, there's another chamber connected to this one, but no way, that I could find –in the dark- out of it. Anyway, there's something against the entrance in there, something huge. It's like a massive block of stone, half blocking the entrance to the chamber, for the gods know what reason…"

"It could just have been a column, supporting the roof for all you know," Julia taunted, as Lilith glared at her. "We're probably under ground. One thing's for sure, this place hasn't seen open air for a _long_ time. How the hell there's still breathable air in here…"

"I'd rather not dwell on that. Or the fact it might run out."

"You have a point." She stood with a groan, and stepped towards Lilith and the door. "Let's see this 'column', than shall we?" To her surprise Lilith grinned, white teeth flashing white in the dark.

"What?" Looking at Lilith curiously. Lilith only shook her head, her face hidden behind an emotionless mask. Julia gestured ahead, "By all means, lead on."

They walked through a short passage, sidling around an enormous stone block that half blocked the passage and entered a larger chamber, with an arching ceiling, so high that it disappeared back into darkness.

Lilith nodded over her shoulder, at what had blocked the passage "That's what I was talking about."

The two of them turned to face it, and then gasped, frozen in awe at the sight that rose above them, now visible in the light Julia cast. It was an enormous statue of a Kudarung. Its massive forelegs pawed the air as it balanced on its hind legs, its head and mane flung back in savage joy. Colossal wings, at full-stretch, flowed from powerfully muscled shoulders, curving around slightly to frame the entire piece. The varying shades of the single block of black marble, it was carved from, had been so skilfully combined with exacting attention to detail, that it seemed it strained to be loose from whatever kept it earthbound, that at any second it would simply leap into the air.

"What is that?" Whispered Julia awed.

"It-it's a Kudarung. A flying horse…they're nearly extinct…"

Julia looked at Lilith sharply, at hearing the almost reverent tone in her voice, "I've heard of them. I thought-What aren't you telling me?"

Lilith grinned ruefully, "They were almost sacred in the Isles at one point in history. They were the symbol of the Kyprish royalty…but a _black _kudarung…"

"Yes?" Julia interrupted impatiently.

"There's a legend, which started sometime after the Grey Palace burned. When the queen and all those loyal to her were killed, there were many rebellions against The Government that replaced the monarch. All were put down ruthlessly and with no concern for the blood spilt. The people lived in fear, and under constant persecution. And then, so the legend goes, the Guardian Spirit appeared; at the beginning of the people's last ditch effort to rout The Government. A kudarung like midnight." Lilith swayed suddenly, as dizziness overcame her. Julia grabbed her left arm to steady her,

"What's wrong?!"

"N-nothing…I'm almost used to this now…" The world around her faded into a dark void, and in it's depths images began to form as they usually did. Lilith looked around something was different…and with a shock she realised what it was. She wasn't alone. Julia stood next to her, in the semi darkness, wide eyed with shock.

……………………

…"_Wha-who-how…" his voice trailed off, as to be on the safe side, she held her newly reclaimed knife to his throat and growled, _

"_Unless you want gills, I suggest you let me ask the questions. You just be a good kid and answer them."…_

Aly waited patiently as he nodded slowly, eyes darting around, searching for a way to escape. She saw him tense, and dodged sideways as he flipped to his feet and swung a punch at where her stomach had been a moment ago. Before he could fully register it, he found himself once again on the ground, this time with the weight of a booted foot on his chest. '_Dammit, she's so fast…_'

"I thought I told you to be a good kid. Let me rephrase that. The next time you try to get away, I won't be gentle in…persuading you to stay put." The knife glinted in the faint light and Aly watched the boy's eyes follow the blade's slightest movement. Good. She'd finally got through to him. "Let's start with something simple shall we? And don't bother lying, I have the sight. What's your name, and why were you following me?"

She watched the boy think it over. '_The Sight-no. She has t' be lyin' about that. Everyone in Rajmuat, even those who has a strong gift, 'av' lost all magical ability. That's why there were all those riots, an' why everyone was so panicked. Th' gods have turned their faces from us. Even th' bright one.' _

Aly could see the rebellion in him despite his apparently passive face. He shrugged, "If you say so, my name's Ti-,"

"I thought I told you not to lie!"

The boy stared at her and swallowed, hard, as he saw power swim in her eyes. "Now let's try that again shall we? Name and why you were following me."

"M-Miki." The boy stuttered, still staring at the woman and the strange power he now saw in her eyes.

"Much better, Miki. Now, why were you following me?"

"I-Well-you se-," he stopped taking a shuddering breath, "I was followin' you 'cause one o' the people in black," he nodded his head in the direction of the fanatics, "told me-well, he said if they turned you into th' government, they'd getta reward, an' if I helped them they'd gimme some an'-,"

"Stop and take a breath," Aly ordered not unkindly, to the babbling kid, giving him a few seconds before continuing. Her eyes hardened, "They said there was reward?"

Miki nodded uncertainly, then as though he'd just realised he might have offended her, he began to justify it, "I wouldna done it usually. I swear! Tis just with th' government, an' the blocking o' th' harbour an' th' riots..." The lady's eyes flashed and he stumbled to a halt. Aly frowned, that was the second time he'd mentioned this _government. _

"Riots? Government?" The boy stared at her in shock, and she swore inwardly. Of course, if she'd been in Rajmuat, probably even the Copper Isles, she would've heard about something as obviously, big as this. She swore again as she realised if the fanatics were still around she couldn't just leave a trail leading directly to her. And she would not resort to cold blooded killing. Especially, not to a kid how was only doing his best to survive…she watched as he paled suddenly, realising what he'd done. She had to have been outside the Copper Isles not to have heard…and with the government killing anyone trying to leave or come in… With a strength born from desperation he managed to twist free, and was up and running in a second. She groaned inwardly, and took off in pursuit. "I don't have time for this! Why must I waste it all chasing people?!"

The boy lead her on a merry chase through the back streets of Rajmuat. They'd just run through a deserted square she knew and had entered an alley that ran around it. Seeing the approaching intersection, which she knew was a dead end. Removing a knife from a wrist sheath, she paused to throw it to the boy's right. It was close enough to make him swerve towards the alley, and with a spurt of speed she had been saving she managed to herd him into it. He raced to the end, looking around frantically. Seeing no other way out, he began to try to scramble up the wall. She had to give him some credit, he managed to find hand and toe holds where it looked like there was nothing.

Darting forward, Aly managed to grab hold of his ankle and pulled. He lost his grip and tumbled to the ground with a curse. He somehow managed to land on his feet, and spun to face her, a wild look in his eyes.

"You can't run any further. If I have to chase you again I'm going to get annoyed," she said panting slightly.

Backing up against the wall he glared at her defiantly, and spat at the cobles at her feet. "Whatever. If you're ever goin' t' get round t' killin' me-,"

Aly raised an eyebrow, "Now whoever said I was going to kill you?"

"Th' bloody knife you chucked at me and held at my neck! Or is that a greetin' from where ever you come from luarin!?"

Rolling her eyes, in a way that plainly asked for patience Aly retorted, "I did not say I was going to kill you. And how else was I meant to get you to listen or run into the dead end? If I'd thought you'd listen to me if I asked nicely, I would've done it at the start."

"Then why th' hell did you bother followin' me!?"

"The same damn reason that you thought I wanted to kill you for! I can hardly just let you keep on running around with fanatics every where just dying to see my blood!"

"Make up your mind! Do you want t' silence me or not! Stop bein' such a hypocrite!"

Aly looked at him for a moment, then couldn't stop a small chuckle from escaping her, "You have a point…I wasn't really sure what I was going to do, but you've done nothing to me that I would kill you for," her voice suddenly turned hard, her eyes glittering like ice. "Those fanatics though, and their bastard master…now _they_ are going to pay for what they've done."

Miki shuddered, at the note in her voice…he almost pitied those the lady spoke of with such loathing…almost.

"Look," said Aly. "If I put my weapons down will you at least hear me out?"

"You don't need weapons. You've th' gift."

"No, as I've already told you, I have the Sight. It can't really do you any harm."

Wariness in every move the boy made, his expression turned crafty, "If you put down your weapons, no. If you give me at least one of them and put the others down…" he let the sentence trail off. Aly paused, then shrugged. She doubted he could match her skill with a knife or in unarmed combat. She would just have to be careful. Removing all her knives, she watched as Miki's eyes widened slightly, at the small arsenal that appeared. He waited until she backed away and then darted forward grabbing one of the knives. It reminded the former spymaster that she had left the knife she had chucked to corner the boy here in the alley. She just hoped it would still be there. It was a good knife.

He looked at her, "Well are ya goin' t' talk or not!"

"Talk about impatient," Aly muttered to herself. "Look ki-Miki, I don't want to kill you, but I can't just leave a trail leading those fanatics straight to me. And if what they told you was true I don't want this government of your's-,"

"They're no government o' ours!" Miki spat the venom in his voice startling her. "They're the bloody ones who brought this on us all!"

"My apologies…What exactly have they brought on all of 'you'…and while I think about it who's this 'us'?"

"They were the ones who were responsible for the burning of the Grey palace! They've condemned all of us! All the people! They've caused the gods to turn their faces from us- banning worship of our gods and preaching about this Lungkata-"

"What!? Oh for-That bastard is every where!"

Miki stopped cursing Lungkata, as the tone of her voice registered. The anger that filled her entire being blazed in her eyes, with a tiny flicker of…fear? "Sorry?"

"That-that…argh!" She looked down, drawing the boy's attention to the lizard shaped scar on her wrist, that flared a dull red. "I swear," she hissed, "the next time we meet will be the last." The mark pulsed again, brighter, and she gave a little gasp of pain as a voice issued around her.

"So you finally figured out how I did it? Well, my dear _former_ spymaster, I can't help but agree. Once I finally get hold of you, I'll be able to tie up all these loose ends you create with your mere existence, in this world." Hissing laughter filled the air, "And when that bloody trickster finally looses his last tie to this world, he can be sent to the void with all the others. I will not let your soul roam free, when I finally kill you, for if it continues to, even if you die, he will still have the link that allows him to endure. That," he paused, "and because the idea of you living on in eternal suffering, appeals to me."

Aly's voice was strangely calm. "You could try. But while I still exist, in some way or form, I will fight you, or at the very least aid those who do."

"Be quiet bitch! Your time of reckoning will come! And when it does, this world will, at last, lie at my feet!" The voice faded along with any sense of his presence. Aly shuddered, and collapsed to the ground, whimpering as blood red light blazed around her, rippling in waves of sparks over her body. She welcomed the approaching darkness, and dove into its depth racing from the pain the wracked her body. Miki could only stand and stare.

……………………

Aly found herself falling through the darkness, only to emerge a little later into a less complete one. She looked around in surprise. She felt the movement of air across her back and turned in shock, only to find herself looking at a pair of midnight coloured wings, that obviously originated from her own back. With shock she looked down at the flickering lights of Rajmuat, as they drifted past, and found herself looking at a pair of hooves. A chuckle from behind her caused her to try to whirl in midair, resulting in her to loose quite a bit of altitude. Wings beating frantically, she regained her lost height and came face to face with Kyprioth. Grinning the voice sounded in her mind,

…_So, do you like my little surprise?_…

…_Kyprioth_,…Aly said, her voice dangerously calm, …_what the hell have you done to me?_…

…I_, my dear? _I_ have done nothing!...Ok, maybe I twisted some little things here and there…but apart from that I have nothing to do with this!_…

…_uh huh. Sure Kyprioth. Why would I have cause to suspect _you?_…_

…_That's a good point my dear. I've been puzzling over it for sometime now…_

Aly snorted, _…Riiight. Now back to the point. What the hell's happened to me? Last thing I remember was being in the alley with that kid-Miki…_

…_Well technically, you're still there…at least your body is-actually, Miki might have moved you by now-…_

…_What!?_…

…_Don't panic on me now my dear. Miki is perfectly trustworthy, and he knows the people you have to meet-…_

…_Are you deliberately trying to avoid answering my question?_…

…_Would I do that?_…

…_Yes…_

…_Oh stop complaining. You could at least show a little gratitude. Now you won't be bored and wasting time while your sleeping, or unconscious or whatever…_

…_Stop stalling Kyprioth. I can see you're dying to tell me about your brilliance in achieving this-whatever it is you've done…_

…_You know me too well. It's disconcerting…_muttered the god. He sighed, _…Very well. What you are now, well as you appear to be now is your spirit form…_

…_More information please…_

…_I _was_ getting there if you'd be patient. All spirits take a form when away from the bodies they inhabit. Previously, if you remember, I took you places and you stayed as Aly…Well, that's one of the things I…fiddled with. You had to be able to move around, and no disrespect to the crows but they can't really command a presence-…_

…_Kyprioth get on with it. What the hell am I?... _

…_Guess…_

…_.Kyprioth…_Aly said warningly

…_Oh fine. You're no fun. You're a Kudarung. Happy now?..._

…_No… _

…_Humph. All my hard work and this is the thanks I get for it…_

…_I thought you said 'fiddled' and 'twisted a few things here and there'. That hardly constitutes as hard work…_

…_You'll thank me for it later. Really, what I've done is a masterpiece but I wouldn't expect you to appreciate that. I believe you are the _only_ pure black kudarung, but it hardly matters. How many would have wings that's feathers are like a crows. Besides, you did say that you were wasting time earlier. Look what you can accomplish even when you're unconscious…_

…_You know this is worse than having my own words chucked back at me. It would take you to chuck my _thoughts_ back at me…_

The Trickster surprised her by laughing, _…Go on. Give it a try.. I didn't just do this for amusement you know and I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that mark can't effect you in this form._

_Those lapdogs, that call themselves 'the government', do most of their dirty work at night, hence the black colour -at least if someone looks up it will make you that much harder to see-. Beats me why they wouldn't do it in daylight but I won't try to fathom a fanatic's thoughts. They're obviously mucked up in the first place if they follow Lungkata… _

When she hesitated, Aly felt a tendril of power from the god push her forward and down.

…_Go on…_ he laughed, and turned and disappeared.

'Easy enough for you to say.' She thought grumpily as she craned her neck to glare at her wings. 'Ah well, at least I don't have to learn how to use these bloody things…'

The room was quiet, and Miki fidgeted under the gaze of the other people in the room.

"Why did you bring her here?! You could have ruined everything!" The man glared at the boy who stood awkwardly before the group.

Miki looked down, "I-I,"

"Oh leave, the lad alone Lykas," said a female voice. "He's smart and wouldna done it without good reason. Now where's the patient?" The old raka healer, walked easily over to the pallet where the woman Miki had 'found' lay. Although her healing gift had dwindled and died along with all other gifts, she still had herb lore among other things. She looked her over with a shrewd eye, and shook her head, "There is nothing I can do for her. Her mind does not reside in her body at the moment. Either she will awake, or she will die." She glared at the people staring at her. "Well! Are you doing to stand around like a herd of cattle or will one of you give an old lady a seat?"

There was an embarrassed rumbling and a chair was produced. "Thanks, Tara," Miki mumbled quietly as he drew the chair to the woman. She gave him a sly wink, and with a groan sat in the chair.

"So Miki," Lykas continued, rolling his eyes, "why did you bring her here? You'd better have a good reason."

Offended the boy's awkwardness seemed to drop away, and he looked directly at Lykas as he said, "She is a marked enemy of Lungkata, and has the Sight-,"

"Fool boy!" Growled a new voice. "Everyone knows that every kind of gift has disappeared as though it never was! It is proof of the god's disfavour! It doesn't work fro any except those that serve Lungkata."

"I heard him speak!" Protested the boy. "Look at her arm! She bears a lizard-scar! And th' voice called her 'former spymaster'. That may make her dangerous, but she obviously hasn't been in th' Isles for sometime. We could still use her! And besides, when he was speaking- well she wasn't on friendly terms with him!"

"And what do you have, apart from the coincidence of a lizard shaped scar that it was Lungkata how spoke boy!" Zaos's voice cracked through the air like a whip effectively ending Miki's argument.

"Now, now, bickering avail ye nothing," Tara's voice interceded. "There is nothing we can do until she wakes, then she can speak for herself." Reaching to the pouch that hung at her waist, she pulled out a clear crystal. "Know what this is? It's magicked to glow when someone tells a lie. It's powerful enough, and if what Miki heard was true, former Spymaster or not, she won't even be able to say a half truth without us knowing. I made sure of that when I made it." The wide eyes looked at the stone in awe. All magical artefacts, that hadn't become worthless with the extinction of the gift, were now beyond priceless. Looking smugly at the expressions on the faces around her she grinned slyly, "I was saving it for a special occasion."

Aly laughed inwardly with pure exhilaration. She'd been surprised to find herself perfectly at home in this different form as though she'd lived in it her entire life. The strength it had surprised her, as well as it's ability to see in that dark, without her using her Sight. Swooping closer to the city, she located the alley where she'd passed out. Miki was no where in sight, nor was her body, if what Kyprioth said was to be believed and this was her spirit's form.

Wheeling higher, a dark patch in the net of lights below her caught her attention. She had found the Grey Palace. Its ruins were dark, and it looked as though there had been no attempt to restore the place. 'Which is how is should be,' she thought grimly. It was the resting place of many, and would not be disturbed.

Another empty patch caught her attention, this time in a more central location. Drawing closer she saw the blackened rubble of what had been the temples. With an angry cry, she gained height, circling above it, taking in the construction of another larger one on the same land. So this was Lungkata's temple?

She was letting herself drift closer, when harsh cries split the night. A virtual sea of familiarly black cloaked people converged on a few of the buildings in the temple district. They swarmed into the houses, dragging the occupants from them. A selected few, hung back, and in Aly's sight they all glowed with the gift. Light erupted from them, as they cast spells at the figures that tried to flee. Aly cried out, as she saw the small figure of a child fall to one of them. A cheer rang out from those in black as the people were herded, into the centre of the horde. One of the mages voices rang out in the still night,

"For the crimes of heresy, worship of the gods and conspiring against the government. The penalty is death. Let this serve as a warning." He raised his hand and brought it down, with a feeling of finality to it. The mages pressed forward towards the centre ringing their captives. Rasing their arms they began to chant, the feeling of power growing with each word. Aly looked on in horror. Why did no one do anything but huddle at the centre of that circle of death?

The mages, began to walk clockwise faster and faster, closing in on the small group. Something in her snapped and all coherent thought disappeared. Rage filled her. Rage at those who so blatantly would violate the temples; at those who had destroyed her life, family and friends; and at them that where abusing the people of her adopted homeland. With a ringing cry, that sent a chill down the spines of all those present, she dived.


	11. The Cunning One

**A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! XD. Urgh, it is so damn hot. Not even a breeze. –brain melts-**

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP. **

**Chapter 11: The Cunning One**

People turned skyward, as a shadow detached itself from the night and hurtled towards them. The chanting faltered and stopped, as massive wings brushed over the heads of mages and other black cloaked fanatics alike knocking them to the ground. They scrambled to their feet as with another spine tingling cry the creature swooped after the fleeing horde. Hooves lashed out, catching fanatics and tossing them metres before they fell to the ground and lay unmoving. One mage regained his feet in time to cast a spell. It made the air crackle as it hurtled towards the creature, only to bounce of it as though it were covered by some sort of shield. It split and rebounded back at its caster, also hitting several other fleeing mages. They burst into flame and disappeared.

Sudden silence, filled the night, and the people clustered in the centre gingerly raised their heads looking at the destruction around them. Looking around for the creature, they froze as one, as a dark shadow glided over their heads to land in the square before them. Golden light bloomed around it, revealing the form of a massive black kudarung. It looked at them steadily with intelligent eyes, the last flames of rage dying in its eyes. It bowed its head, then was swallowed completely by the golden light, and simply ceased to be.

……………………

The woman on the bed groan then half yelled something, all but silenced the quiet conversation of those who sat waiting patiently for her to wake.

"Why don't you…fight?! Can't you see…no! They'll kill yo-NO! Bastards! I won't let you do this…"

Lykas raised an eyebrow, as she tossed on the pallet, limbs flailing. Suddenly her teeth were bared in a purely animal snarl, and the ghost of a keening cry filled the air, an echo of the one that sounded some where in the city not too far away. Some to the door, but at a barked order from Lykas, returned. The all jumped, as the sound of a door slamming echoed throughout the building. As one Zaos, Tara and Lykas turned and headed for the door the other people with them following. Waiting outside in the hallway, Lykas turned and handed the last person to exit –a part raka woman- a key. "Call if she wakes." She simply nodded, and turned and locked the door, standing to one side as a guard.

Continuing up the passage, the small group emerged in a room in the house above. A middle aged luarin woman, gasped for breath on the floor of the place, as the sounds of yelling and fighting found their way past the closed door that lead to the street outside.

"Lungkata's…people…found the safe house…temple district…Massive creature…chased or killed them all…"

Lykas' lips became a thin white line as others in the room, gripped whatever was closest with white knuckled hands. Only Tara appeared indifferent, but her voice was terse as she spoke,

"Our people too?"

"Some of our people are hurt…"

Lykas turned to the people present, "Timon, get your group and gather the worst hurt. Bring them back here, to Tara, but make sure you're not seen." The man nodded and hurried to the door, running into the house, yelling commands. A few minutes later, another seven people following, they left. Zaos nodded to Lykas and as he continued to bark orders, turned to an unusually tall luarin woman. "Keira, get your people to start dismantling this place. We need to be ready to leave, straight away." The woman nodded, and turned and she too began to bark orders, and then turned and hurried through the house, the sound of her bellowing waking those who slept and ordering them into action.

Lykas looked around, and his eyes fell on Miki. "Get out there kid. We need to find out what happened. Yuri, you go with him. Make sure you're back here in an hour." Miki nodded and scampered, a luarin boy in a similarly ragged looking state, following close behind. Lykas settled onto a chair, and tried to relax. For the moment there was nothing more he could do.

Aly's eyelids flickered open, as she took in her surroundings through slitted eyes. She was alone, in a small stone chamber, with one door and no windows. A couple of candles cast a flickering light around the room. Sitting up, she eased herself off the pallet she'd been lying on, and cat-quiet inspected the room. There was no way to get in or out apart from the door, and as far as she could see no spells. 'Great,' she thought. 'Looks like Kyprioth was right and Miki did move me…at least I hope he did.' All her knives were gone, along with her lock picks, and she cursed silently as she saw shadow flicker under the door. Either it was locked and there was some sort of guard outside or…she put her hand on the door, and pushed lightly. It didn't budge. With a sigh, she looked it over for any weaknesses. The hinges were on the other side, and it had been locked with a key. It was thick and heavy, and by herself there was no way she could break it open. Bending to peer through the keyhole she grinned. They'd left the key in the lock. With minimal splinters she managed to pry an iron nail from the chair beside her pallet. Cursing, as the wood left splinters in her hand, she pushed the chair over next to the door. When it came to weapons it wasn't her favourite choice…but beggars couldn't be choosers. Slipping the nail into a pocket she flopped back onto the pallet with a groan, to wait. They had to leave sometime. There was a louder movement outside, and she snapped upright. A small section high in the door slid open. It wasn't large enough to put a hand through, but as a peephole it was serviceable. A pair of dark eyes looked in then the hole closed again. The shadows under the door flickered again, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating from the door.

Jumping to her feet, Aly raced to the door. Well, either she would get out now or someone would come and see her. Either way, she didn't have much time. Shoving the nail into the lock, she moved it around until she heard a satisfying 'chink' sound, as the metal key hit the floor. Shoving her hand as far as it would go under the door, she strained to touch the key, just out of reach. Biting her lip, and ignoring the fact that the wood was scraping away at her skin, she managed to draw the key towards her, gingerly rubbing the back and palm of her hand. That was going to hurt later. Shoving the key into the lock, she turned it easily, and carefully opened the door. Stepping forward a couple of paces, she met the point of a sword and sighed dejectedly. Well, that had been short lived.

"Back in there, you go," drawled a voice.

"Nice to meet you too," she grumbled sourly

-

Julia stumbled back from Lilith, eyes wide, as the other woman sat down. "What the hell was that!?" Lilith grinned,

"So you saw it too? Interesting-,"

"Lilith what was it!"

"Oh right- Woah! That statue looks even bigger from down here!"

Julia tapped her foot impatiently. "Is this some twisted sort of revenge?"

"Now where on earth would you get an idea like that?" Julia glared, nearly growling as Lilith laughed, "Really, you should see the expression on your face! Where's the camera when I need it?"

"LILITH!!!"

"Alright, alright, I'm telling, I'm telling."

"Hmph."

Lilith ignored her, "That-what you saw- was something that's only started happening to me…well, I guess you could say recently. Aly, is this Cunning One, we're supposed to 'find', but the more I see of these 'visions' the more I think there's more to it. There has to be."

"Hold up," interrupted Julia. "That was real?"

"Real in the sense it happened centuries ago."

"What so somewhere in the past," she paused, "that was actually happening?"

"Yes, Julia," Lilith replied slowly as though talking to someone exceptionally thick, earning the death glare that was shot at her. "You know, I you saw that I wonder if someone else can when they're near me? It would help my trying to figure out these bloody things."

"How do you know they're real?"

Lilith shrugged, "One, I got one when Tau was ambushed. Two, -as you might have noticed- Aly had the same scar-thing that I do and it can do the same things to me that it does to her, and three, the least reliable, Kyprioth told me so."

"Really Lilith, I'm offended you have so little trust in me." The woman in question groaned and asked the ceiling,

"Why the hell did I have to say his name!?!?!"

"I _was_ going to get you out of here, but if you're going to be like that…"

"Since when do you ever hel-," her retort was cut short as Julia slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Kyprioth, please get us out of here."

"No," said the Trickster giving the perfect impression of a mulish 2 year old. "She was mean."

Lilith glared, at the god and broke away from Julia. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she schooled her face to blankness. "I'm sorry, Kyprioth. Now will you get us out of here…_before _we die of old age?"

"Say please."

"Please, Kyprioth."

"With sugar and cherries on top."

"… You have got to be joking."

"Well, then. I'll be going…" the god turned.

"Kyprioth! Wait!" Cried Julia. "She'll say it," she paused to glare, "won't you Lilith?"

Lilith ignored the warning glare and looked away, "Dream on-OW! That _hurt_!"

Zapping her with her gift again, Julia growled, "I said, _she'll say it_."

Rubbing her side, Lilith glared at them both. Warily eyeing the growing spark on Julia's finger, she ground out,

"Please, Kyprioth…With sugar and cherries on top."

Light flared around the three as the god remarked cheerfully, "Ah, dreams are such wondrous things."

"Allow me to help you wake up," growled Lilith.

……………………

Lilith felt herself tumble to the ground, and looked up at Kyprioth's and Julia's grinning faces.

"You did that on purpose," she growled at the god, face flushing.

"I never!" The god grinned again, and then joined Julia in laughter.

Lilith looked up from her position on her back, on the floor. They were back in her flat, and she winced inwardly as Tau's face appeared above hers to join the other two in laughter. Deciding there was no other response to such utter idiocy; Lilith got up with a groan and flopped down on her couch, pointedly ignoring them.

She jumped, as Takeshi's voice remarked that if they couldn't be quiet and let him read, they could leave.

"Hey," said Lilith. "This is _my_ flat. That's _my _job."

"You enjoy them laughing at your expense?"

"…No."

"Then you've got nothing to complain about."

"Why is everyone against me?" She asked the ceiling again and felt, the familiar feeling of a vision taking her mind. The laughter stopped abruptly, and she vaguely felt someone grab her arm.

……………………

The former spymaster fidgeted, eyeing the sword and it's bearer as they 'forced' her to sit on the ground, hands on her head. Kyprioth's voice echoed in her mind,

…_Trust me Aly. You need to meet these people. Just stay here for a bit… _

'Trust the Trickster, why not,' she thought. "Why is everyone suddenly against me?" Aly asked wryly from her position on the floor. The middle aged part-raka standing before her looked at her impassively. "Can I at least take my hands off my head? No? Fine, then."

"I would've thought you'd had enough excitement for a week, but you really must be bored, to try talking to a guard who obviously isn't going to reply. Next time try the wall, you'll have better luck."

Aly looked up at the part-raka who entered, with a luarin around the same age and an old raka woman. She affected a large yawn, leaning back against the wall, apparently completely at ease with a sword aimed at her throat. "Why bother, when I can talk to you and listen to your dulcet tones reply." The part-raka man simply gestured for the guard to leave, ignoring Aly's comment.

"So, to whom do I owe the dubious honour, of for no apparent reason, finding myself locked in this cellar?"

"Him and him," the old lady jerked her finger at the two men with her earning a double glare which she ignored.

"Thank-you, Grandmother. I'd offer you a seat but as you can see…" she trailed off, and the old woman chuckled,

"Well at least you have better manners, than them when you care to use them."

"Enough Tara!" snapped the luarin. Aly raised an eyebrow at the usage of her name, and the part-raka replied to her unspoken question,

"If you are leaving here it will not be with the slightest chance you are going to betray us."

"So in other words the chances of you killing me are high? Lovely." As though to illustrate that point the luarin drew his blade and pressed it lightly against her throat. Aly's eyes flickered, slightly. Did she teach these people a lesson, or put up with the sword and listen for a bit? She sighed, as a voice that reminded her strongly of her Da's floated through her head. _Knowledge is power_. "Well are you going to talk to me or not? Really, I'm quite happy just to sit her-," She shutup as she was expected to do when the tip of the blade pricked her skin.

"I believe _we_ should be asking the questions or making the demands." Aly lowered her eyes meekly, oh how she wanted to wipe the smirk off the luarin's face...

The old raka pulled a clear crystal, which glowed with magic, from a pouch at her waist. Some sort of truth device. She held it out before her, and then nodded to the two men. They began,

"It's simple enough; if you lie, you die. Do you serve Lungkata?"

"No. I tend to prefer not to serve murderous bastards." Both men turned to the old woman, the stone she held remained dull. The two before her relaxed, very slightly.

"Where are you from?"

"Tortall." The less people who knew she was the former spymaster of the Isles the better…plus it let her test the power of this stone. Unfortunately, she had to give them some information to gain it.

"Partly true," the woman's voice declared. Aly blinked in surprise, she'd never seen a truth spell work quite like this before. Aly winced as the blade pressed a little more firmly against her neck, she blood well around it.

The question was repeated, "Where are you from?"

"I was originally from Tortall. I've lived in the Isles for years now."

"True," the woman declared. Aly scowled inwardly. Better they had thought her a foreigner, with a questionable background, but in no way involved with the Isles current state of affairs. Cursed stone.

The part raka studied her face closely, noting the newly tanned skin. "You have travelled recently, and for all you were dressed in rags, your weapons were of high quality, as were your boots. Why did you travel and where to?" By this point Aly was silently cursing Kyprioth and the part raka before her, who picked up too many small details.

Grudgingly, she replied, "I travelled to Tortall to…find answers and information I could only access there."

"This information was…?"

"Something of the state of affairs here."

"Incomplete truth," declared the lady as the stone shone a faint bluish colour. The one who didn't hold the blade, crouched bringing his face close to hers,

"You do not seem to comprehend the meaning of 'truth'. You have been warned. The next time you tell even a half truth, you're going to find breathing painful. Understood?"

Aly nodded reluctantly. She was tiring of this very rapidly, and although she knew Kyprioth would not let her be killed… Mind you, as long as you could provoke them into answering, a truth spell could work both ways… "What information were you looking for?"

"I-I," she paused thinking furiously, "I wanted to know," she hesitated, "the reason the god I serve, seemed to have disappeared."

Their eyes sparked with curiosity, "And this god would be?"

"…I really don't want to answer that." The sword pressed harder again and this time its holder leaned forward. To threaten her again, Aly assumed. She'd had enough, letting him lean forward she relaxed completely gaining a little space between the blade and her throat. Twisting she swept his legs from under him, grabbing the blade as she flipped easily to her feet, blade now at the luarin's throat. "Let us get something clear. I'm still here, because I want to be, not because I have no choice. Nice as you people seem, I do not have time for this. I stayed only so I could figure out what is going on, and because the god I serve required it. You are, quite obviously, a rebel group. I do congratulate you on your efforts, but you have no chance against Lungkata. You're in way over your head, especially with no mages. As much as I would love to aid you, I have a score to settle. Now if you would excuse me…" They blinked and she was by the door, the key Lykas had had in his pocket in her hand. She smiled impishly, giving a small bow. Even as Lykas started forward, the door slammed, the lock clicking into place. Her voice echoed through strangely distorted, "I don't expect that will hold you long, and I am sorry. Your key will be on the steps."

……………………

Lykas swore, then turned and sat leaning against the wall. "Dammit. That could have been interesting. And now once we get out of here we have to find her. Whether she's against Lungkata or not, she's too clever…and she knows about us."

Zaos nodded, then sneered, "You should've let me kill her when Miki brought her in."

Lykas glared, "We could've gained something from that she was just-,"

"Could've, was the key word. But she didn't let us and instead of us gaining the information, _she _did-,"

"Oh stop it both of ye. What else would ye expect from _her_? You won't find her unless she wills it." The two turned to Tara, confusion written all over their faces. She sighed, "Honestly, were ye both dropped on ye heads when ye were born? Ye are certainly acting like it."

"Enough, Tara!" Ordered Lykas. Zaos sneered,

"You don't have any better idea-,"

"I rest my case. Ye are both stupid." Zaos growled, eyes flashing. About to retort, he stopped short when Lykas shook his head slightly.

"What is it, Tara? What have you seen that we haven't?"

"Hmph, with you're manners, I shouldn't tell ye," she relented slightly, "but with the two of ye as thick as ye are, I 'spose I have no choice." Lykas watched as Zaos' tensed, nearly snarling at the old healer,

"Thank-you Tara, please continue," he said quickly, before Zaos' could say anything else.

"Well, I thought it was plainly obvious. She's the Cunning One-,"

"Have you finally gone crazy old woman?! The spymaster died in the Grey Palace along with everyone else from the old government!"

Tara shrugged, "If I'm crazy at least I'm not blind. It is obvious. Miki said she was referred to as the _former_ spymaster. The Cunning One was also known to have the Sight, and was a foreigner." She looked pointedly at Zaos, "A luarin. Her patron was the Trickster himself, and the Government would do anything to gain her, hence the reward Miki spoke of. Evidently, Lungkata is after her as well, though probably for different reasons to his lackeys."

Zaos snorted, "Whatever you say."

"She has a point, Zaos."

"You're both being stupid. She's obviously a spy, and when I find her, I'm going to kill her. You'll thank me later." He turned and walked towards the locked door. Pulling out a pair of lock picks he left it open and continued up the stairs. Lykas looked to Tara,

"He didn't mean it. Just give him a bit to calm down, and he'll come round." The old healer didn't answer, her eyes still fixed on the doorway.

……………………

Lilith blinked, coming out of her trance like state only to find herself surrounded by similarly dazed faces. Takeshi frowned,

"What the hell was that?"

"Yeah, what the hell happened?" Tau shuddered, "It was like scrying…only more real. I could feel the wind, smell…and it was so clear…" Lilith sighed, and shared a look with Julia.

"It's complicated…but it seems there were-still are, a lot of people after the Cunning One..."

…………………

**A/N: Wow…I thought this chapter was going to be short so I just kept on writing…that and I didn't really want to stop…-grumbles- What!? I was bored…Review! Please?-grins- with sugar on top? (AH! Anyone else tried typing, with a cat that is somehow convinced it and it alone owns the keyboard?)**


	12. Betrayal

**A/N: Jeez, it's been ages sine I last updated… -sheepish-. My excuse? The weather. It's humid and I really, really don't want to know what the temperature is –slowly melts- (yeah, yeah, lame excuse I know, but it is seriously hard to think in this weather.) Anyway, believe it or not, I actually have typed the _end_ of this story…it's just a matter of getting to that point with a few more chapters... **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP. **

**Chapter 12: Betrayal**

_-flashback- _

_Lilith looked around, bored out of her wits. Julia sat reading a magazine; Tau was idly creating fiery balls of his gift, making them spin and leap through the air; Takeshi simply sat, leaning against a wall, eyes closed. As though he felt her stare, he cracked his eyelids open halfway, _

"_What?" _

"_Ugh! Aren't any of you people bored? I have to do something or I'm going to go crazy!" Tau snorted and opened his mouth, Lilith forestalled him, "How do you know I'm crazy? I could be normal, which'd make you the weird one." He blinked, the grinned, _

"_That's possible, but highly unlikely. After all, I'm not the one who has visions of another person's life from what? Centuries ago?"_

"_Shuddap." Lilith paced in circles around the coffee table, earning a glare from Takeshi._

"_Must you do that?"_

"_I have to do something!"_

"_We could go shopping," suggested Julia innocently. Tau smirked. Lilith glared balefully at the duo, then turned with a sigh,_

"_Sure. Just let me get my wallet." Julia stared. "What? I said I was bored." _

_-end flashback-_

Lilith sighed, as Julia dragged them all into yet _another_ store. All of them regretted it now. The day was turning out to be an absolute scorcher; the air feeling thick and sluggish as the sun beat mercilessly down from a cloudless sky. She _had_ asked for this… The automatic door slid open, and cool air washed over them. Suddenly, things didn't quite seem so bad. **(A/N: All hail whoever invented air-conditioning.) **Looking inside the girls spotted a bench and made a beeline for it, ducking around Tau and Takeshi to claim it, seconds before he could sit. Slumping with a grateful sigh into relative comfort, they grinned wickedly in response to the twin death glares they received.

"This was _your_ idea. C'mon Lilith, I was here first," grumbled Tau.

"Ah, but I was _sitting_ on it first."

"_And, _it's ladies first." Added Julia. Both of them gave a little cry as an invisible force, pushed them both onto the floor.

"_Thankyou_, Takeshi," Tau said brightly as they sat. "But I will pity you later." Takeshi looked at the two murderous glares being directed at him, and shrugged,

"I'll live."

……………………

Jamil ended the scrying spell, and turned from the mirror. Now was as good a time as any he supposed. They were all together, and didn't seem like they would be moving for a little while. Reaching for a mobile he froze and fell to his knee's as a familiar hissing voice, rent the air.

"Ah, Jamil, I just thought I'd warn you that if by some chance you stuff this up…" Lungkata's voice trailed of ominously.

"My Lord! I won't fail again! But…"

"Yes?"

"…Could you ensure that, their god does not interfere?" Hissing laughter filled the air,

"Oh, it would be my pleasure."

"Thankyou Lord!" The mage found himself slammed into the nearest wall. He gasped for breath, even as the cold voice added ominously,

"Remember, if you fail again…"

"Understood my Lord," he managed to wheeze.

"Very well. You have 5 minutes to get into position."

…………………

The fanatics and the mage came out of nowhere. One moment the four of them were arguing the next they were, quite literally, fighting for their lives. Lilith watched incredulously as other people around them continued to walk past as though spells weren't flying through the air, mixed in with ample amounts of shouting and cursing. Not one turned to look. A sound like a thunder clap, was followed by a flash of red light, and then they were all sinking into the darkness of unconsciousness.

…………………

Turning a corner on the street that lead to the rebel's safe house, Aly waited patiently to see if anyone exited the building after her. Satisfied that she did not have a someone tracking her, she turned and headed towards where she had seen Lungkata's temple. 'Time to find out if any of that stuff I did when I was unconscious actually happened,' she thought grimly. _Something_ had definitely happened. The noise of a large crowd drew her forward, and she found herself blending into it almost without a second thought.

A voice exclaimed near her, "It was huge, I tell you! Dark as the night, and it's cry…" the speaker's voice trailed off with a collective shudder from the group that surrounded him. Other half her whispers swamped her as she continued to drift through the gathering.

"…Wings as dark as a crow's…"

"…It was furious…took down all the mages…"

"…It saved them all. Not one scratch on those who were cornered, but not a single one of Lungkata's was left standing…" Aly shook her head, son Kyprioth really had been telling the truth. She came to an abrupt halt beside a group of full and half blood raka, as some of their conversation floated towards her.

"Tis a sign I tell you! Tis a sign from the shining one that he hasn't abandoned us!..."

"Yes! He's sent us a Guardian…"

"…A guardian…"

"…A guardian spirit that will watch out for his people…" Growling under her breath Aly forced herself to keep moving. She really had to talk to Kyprioth about that aspect of all this. She couldn't be a guardian to a city. She had a regime to bring down. Frustrated, she worked her way out of the crowd, and headed aimlessly back into the streets of Rajmuat.

…………………

She stumbled on the two dark figures completely by accident. One was one of Lungkata's mages... and all she could see of the other was that he wore a cloak. Edging closer despite the part of her that told her to leave. She froze in shock as the other cloaked figure said something to the mage. That voice…it was strangely familiar…

"You had the Spymaster?!" the mage hissed in reply. "How could you let her just walk away!?"

"I was hardly given a choice."

"Whatever…Well at least we now know that she's in the city and up to no good." Aly winced, this did not bode well…

"Yes, and although it's only speculation, I think she might be connected to the black Kudarung. When are you going to do something about that Lykas and the rest of them? I can't keep this up forever."

"Yes Zaos I know," the mage sighed. "We should probably do it before you move again."

"Tonight!?"

"Yes."

"But the Kud-,"

"This place isn't as open as the square…besides, we," the mage waved a hand vaguely behind him and a series of forms seemed to melt from the shadows, "are the most powerful mages of our order. It will take more than a beast to defeat us…"

She'd heard enough. Aly turned, and fought the urge to hurry away, forcing herself to move slowly and as quietly as possible. As soon as she was clear, she hesitated for a moment before she ran towards the rebel's base.

…………………

Lykas listened to Miki and Yuri's report. "So they say it was a giant black Kudarung?"

Yuri nodded vigorously and Lykas smiled, "Yuri if you go to the kitchen, I think Tara's there with Keira. They'll get you something to eat." Yuri grinned and scampered off. The older man turned to Miki. The boy answered the unspoken question.

"Yes. There were other rumours…if you could call them that. There were a group of raka who have been spreading the idea, that this Kudarung is a guardian spirit, sent by the Shining One to save his people."

"Now that's interesting," Tara's voice commented from behind Lykas. "That's what? The second thing we've had today that's been related to the Trickster-," she never got the chance to finish as a voice remarked coolly,

"Hello Miki." All three whirled to see a dishevelled Aly standing in the doorway. Lykas drew a knife without thought, which she ignored completely.

"So you have returned Spymaster." Aly nodded to Tara, "Grandmother, I'd wondered if you'd figured it out." Turning her cold eyes on Lykas she said simply,

"If you want to live I suggest you leave now. All of you." They simply stared at her speechless. Aly swore, then snapped,

"I do_ not_ have time for this! Do you _want_ to die? Get outta here!" She yelled the last as loud as she could. "Come on! If you're here when the mages get here you're lost! MOVE!"

The rebel's snapped into action and almost before she realised it they were out of the place, scattering to different parts of the city on the orders of Tara or Lykas.

In virtually 15 minutes flat the entire house was disserted, a lone scout lingering on the roof of a neighbouring building to report back on what occurred.

…………………

The next morning dawned, and four figures stared at the blackened crater of what had once been a house. Lykas stared,

"I can hardly believe Zaos would have betrayed us…"

"Believe it. I head him, and this entire place is now rubble." Aly snapped. The part-raka sighed,

"I know, I know…" Studying the rubble, Miki remarked dryly,

"Someone lost their temper. Nothing but blackened splinters and gravel left."

Tara snorted, "That's one way of putting it." She watched the former spymaster, as she turned, shrugging deeper into her concealing cloak, to avoid the biting cold air. "So, will you help us?"

"Well, I don't really have a choice now. They know you're linked to me and I really don't want your deaths on my conscience. So I suppose, I can try."

…………………

-_Present time-_

Kyprioth was bored. Very bored. He sat over a small pool watching his four chosen squabbling. This was quite probably, the worst part of any plan; the part where he could do nothing but wait for it to unfold by itself. He sighed, soon… power built overhead massing as thunder boomed.

"Hello dear Trickster," Lungkata's voice mocked from behind. Kyprioth turned to face the black cloaked figure with an impatient sigh,

"Finally, you took your time."

"Ah, but unlike you, _I_ wasn't wasting it sitting watching a group of foolish mortal-"

"You are hardly immortal, _mortal_. Unlike you, if I was stupid enough to _let a mortal take out one of my eyes_, it would grow back."

"Since your intelligence is hardly something to brag about, I can see it must've happened quite a few times."

The Trickster sighed, "I am quickly losing interesting in talking to a upstart bastard. Get out of here."

"Tut tut, you really should learn to master your temper."

"I refuse to put any kind of effort into a conversation with the likes of you."

"Still touchy about that eh? Such a pity…you see if you were doing what you were meant to be doing right now, your four chosen, wouldn't be far from anywhere you can help them." Kyprioth whirled around, shock written clearly on his face. Staring into the pool he growled as he watched the four, all unconscious, disappear in a flash of blood red light.

"No!"

"Yes, dear _Trickster_. How does it feel to know you have just been out-foxed, _by a mere mortal_?" He faded, and the Kyprioth remained frozen in apparent shock, gazing hopelessly into the pool's now clouded depths, for quite a while after Lungkata's presence had faded completely.

Face hidden, he watched as his own reflection formed on the surface of the water. Lungkata missed the triumphant smirk, which slowly crept across Kyprioth's face. Quietly he murmured, "And so it truly begins. You seem to have forgotten, Bastard, that I am _the_ Trickster _god_, for a reason..."

……………………

**A/N: Yeah, well not a particularly great chapter. Anyway, please review! **


	13. Prisoner

**A/N: Yes, I updated twice in a day XD. I didn't think I could do it but there you go. Oh yeah, I haven't read over this as well as I usually would, so there are probably a few typos. **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP.**

**Chapter 13: Prisoner**

Takeshi awoke slowly and looked around cautiously. He could barely make out the unconscious forms of the other three in the faint light that entered the room under the door. As far as he could tell it was the only way in or out of the windowless room. With a muffled groan he managed to force himself upright, and casting out his gift swore as it slipped between his mental fingers, like a bar of soap. He jumped as someone spoke,

"Now _this _is a good trick. What ever this spell is that they've put on our gift, it's sure effective."

"You call it good, I just call it bloody annoying," he complained to Tau.

"For once in my life I find myself in agreement with my brother."

"Oh Julia, I'm touched." She sniffed, settling into a more upright position,

"Don't get used to it." A faint moan from Lilith halted all conversation. "She's still not awake?"

Tau moved so he wasn't blocking the light that fell on her. "Nup, and by the looks of it they went to a bit more of an effort to make sure she couldn't use her gift-"

"Well duh," Julia interrupted. "She can transport herself from one place to another. What's the point of locking her up if all she has to do is will herself somewhere else?"

"Why aren't the evil masterminds ever stupid?" Complained Tau. There was a soft thud, as Takeshi beat his head against a wall,

"I'm not even going to try and answer that. You have watched _way _too many movies."

……………………

Lilith found herself floating in soft darkness once again. She had a vague memory of yet another vision and sighed, as she began to recall it more clearly. She opened her eyes carefully and yelped at the sight of three shadow-distorted faces looming above her. Sitting up, she looked around taking in her new surroundings. "Oh, well this is just great."

"And aren't you just a wonderful little ray of sunshine," Tau remarked, and quickly shut his mouth as all three glared at him.

"I've always wondered why there were so few optimists around," Takeshi remarked casually. "Now it seems plainly obvious, that they were likely mostly killed off by pessimists stuck in a really bad situation."

"Oh shut up sourpuss," grumbled Tau. Julia coughed to get their attention,

"You know this is lovely how you two feel you can argue at a time like this…but in case you haven't noticed… WE'RE LOCKED IN A WINDOWLESS ROOM, UNABLE TO USE OUR GIFTS, AND WITH NO IDEA WHERE THE HELL WE ARE!"

"So you've decided to rejoin the land of the living," a voice remarked coldly, as light flooded them from the now open door. The four mages all felt the gift that slid over them, holding their legs and arms immobile. "Oh and just so you know, you have your dear Trickster to thank for this." Jamil was met by three identical death glares, and one of pure indifference. He grinned inwardly. This promised to be interesting.

"He's the Trickster as you pointed out," Julia sighed, "I wouldn't put it past him to let something like this happen."

"Oh goody," Lilith muttered, and immediately froze completely under the gaze of the mage in the door way. She blinked as recognition dawned, and freeing her mind and said softly, "You again."

"So you _do_ remember me. I was a little worried for a moment there," he watched as recognition slowly dawned on the Carthaki's face as well.

"You were the one that got her," Tau nodded in Lilith's direction, "in the alley that day."

"And you're the little bastard that half stunned me. I owe you for that, and for what my Lord did to me because I let her get away," he grimaced at the memory.

"I have a name you know," Lilith remarked dryly.

"Too bad," Jamil said. "I need you four to come with me."

"And what if we don't want to?" Takeshi's asked quietly.

"You don't have a choice," he snapped his fingers, and all four found themselves jerked to their feet and out the door before they had time to blink.

Julia looked down at the old worn flags that made up the floor of the hallway they were being dragged along and the stone blocks that made up the walls. There were only a few such buildings in Rajumaut, and as far as she could tell, they hadn't been unconscious long enough to leave the city. "So were in one of Lungkata's temples then," she stated. Jamil smirked coldly,

"Of course. This here is my Lord's domain alone. Your god cannot enter or see this place by any means he possesses. Unlike, my Lord, who's magic allows him to project a temporary image or 'clone' of himself anywhere he wishes." They came to a thick wooden door, as worn as the stone floor.

"Have you ever seen Lungkata?" Lilith asked suddenly, as Jamil reached for the handle. He started, and turned to face her,

"No. It is forbidden. Why do you ask?"

"Lucky you," she muttered and as he frowned, quickly added, "No reason." The door swung open of its own accord, revealing a black cloaked figure.

"She asks, as though she is one who has," the hissing voice said. The group was dragged forward, the door slamming behind them. Jamil dropped to his knees the moment he was released.

"My lord?"

"I don't know how she has seen my face, Jamil. Actually, there are a number of things I have to ask her about." He raised a hand, to point at her, and the world promptly receded back into darkness once again.

…………………

_Lilith looked at the dark walls that encircled her. The cloaked figure of Lungkata appeared before her, and she quickly backed away until she hit one of the walls. His tone was anything but reassuring as he said,_

…_Now, now. I only have to ask you a couple of questions… _

…_Keep away from me!... Lilith turned to face the wall, and pushed it mentally, with all her strength. It didn't budge._

…_Ah, so you have learned something of the powers you carry. It was unfortunate for you, that since Aly died without any children, you, the heir Kyprioth chose for her newly gained power, had to receive my mark as well. Stop fighting, it is pointless. You have no where you can run…_

_Lilith turned to face him again, he was closer now, his power flowing around him, compelling her to obey… She shook her head to clear it, and a glint of light in the darkness caught her eyes. Without a second thought, she flung herself at the already fading glimmer and found herself falling, into a light, from which familiar voices assaulted her ears. With a grin she recognised it as a vision as it rushed forward to ensnare her mind, effectively blocking the lizard from her thoughts. _

……………………**  
**

Lungkata swore vehemently, as he broke from his trance-like state, to glower that the three before him. "Jamil."

"Yes my Lord?"

"Leave us. When I am done with these three you can do whatever you want with them. I really don't care. But the girl," he nodded to Lilith's limp form which held upright only by Jamil's spell, "is mine."

"Yes my Lord…Why…did she pass out?" It was a sign of how distracted the Lizard-man was that he didn't strike him down on the spot. The mage let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as Lungkata replied,

"She escaped into her mind-into some sort of memory-vision. Until it has run its course, I will not be able to enter her thoughts…which is annoying to say the least." Jamil took the hint and with a hurried bow backed clumsily from the room.

Lungkata turned to the three remaining, and released them from the spell that held them immobile. "Just a warning, in case you're stupid enough to attack me, no blade or bullet can penetrate my shields. Don't expect to survive an attempt." He smiled at the stony silence that was the reply to his statement. "You're not going to make this easy are you?" He affected a hissing sigh, "Ah well, I couldn't persuade you to convert to my religion?" He paused, and then continued, when they remained silent, "No? Well that's too bad. Really, I admire your loyalty to the Trickster, but if you're going to be stubborn we'll have to do this _my _way."

…………………

_Tara snorted, "That's one way of putting it." She watched the former spymaster, as she turned, shrugging deeper into her concealing cloak, to avoid the biting cold air. "So, will you help us?"_

"_Well, I don't really have a choice now. They know you're linked to me and I really don't want your deaths on my conscience. So I suppose, I can try."_

Miki broke into a grin and turned to Lykas, "Told you so!" The older man shook his head, unable to hide the small smile that turned the corners of his mouth upward. Tara laughed, as Aly looked on blankly,

"Am I missing something here?"

Miki looked embarrassed for a moment then his face broke back into a grin. "Me'n Tara told 'im that you wouldna abandon us, t' Lungkata an' 'is followers! He didna think you'd help us!" Aly smirked at the part-raka, then turned and lead the way back into the backstreets.

They were ambushed somewhere between where the safe house had been and the inn they were staying at, on the other side of the temple district. With hindsight, all of them would curse the stupidity that had lead them to return to see what remained of the safe house.

The only warning Aly had was the slight scuff of a boot on the uneven cobbles, around the corner in front of them. She shouted, and then suddenly they were trapped in the alley by black cloaked figures, all armed to the teeth. Aly swore as her sight picked up the group of mages that moved to block there retreat. Without a second thought she threw herself forward, knives drawn, towards the non-mages. They parted before her, taken off guard by her completely unexpected movement. There was a shout and the mages materialised from the shadows around her. She smiled grimly. Yes, they were after her, more than the other three with her. She managed to catch Tara's eyes over the heads of the fanatics who had turned to face her. Nodding back in the direction they had come from, she told her silently to fight there way through the remaining non-gifted fanatics behind them. She saw the old woman hesitate, and sidestepped a fanatic's lunge, shouting "Go! Get out of this death trap! I'll be fine!" She saw the disbelief in her face even as she turned with the other two, and they began to force their way out of the alley. With that weight off her mind, she threw herself completely into the fight. Placing her back to a wall, she counted on her superior speed and fitness, to compensate for their greater strength and numbers. She might have been able to hold them off she knew if it weren't for the mages, and the fact they realised that if they all charged together, she couldn't block them all.

"Why couldn't they have been stupid," she thought wincing as a line of heat sliced into her shoulder. Stumbling, she began to get desperate as all the small wounds she had gathered began to take their toll on her body. Cursing, she shouted, "Kyprioth! A little help would be appreciated!" The mark on her arm pulsed and she tried vainly to ignore the pain it caused and get to the mage that was using it as a focus for his spell. No such luck. The non-gifted fanatics pressed in around her, hemming her in. She growled in frustration, "KYPRIOTH!" She stumbled, and fell raising a futile hand to block the downward swing of a baton towards her head, when light blazed from her hand, shoving those surrounding her back. She stared at her glowing hand in shock,

"Did I know I could do that?" Someone shouted something, and then mages moved forward as the non-gifted backed off. She dragged herself to her feet, as the world spun crazily. She cursed, the blood she'd lost, and settled into a crouch, waiting for everything to settle before she tried to attack. A mage shot a spell at her, and once again she raised a glowing hand and a protective circle flickered into being around her. "Ok, what the hell did you do Kyprioth?" She thought. "I definitely, did _not_ have anything but the sight before you started meddling."

The world seemed to freeze and Kyprioth's voice replied softly. "That was an unexpected side effect, of the Kudarung. But look at it this way, you'd have a rather nasty head wound if you didn't have it."

"Oh thanks _heaps_," she replied sarcastically. "You could just get me out of here?" There was a sound like thunder, and she could almost hear Kyprioth wince,

"Sorry my dear, I have my own problems to deal with at the moment." He sent her a flashing image of Lungkata, attacking him with magic. The connection was severed abruptly. _Crap_. The world sped up again, and the mages resumed their attack.

Answering an inner compulsion she crouched her shield flickering as she drew all her power into her hands and placed them on the ground. Shoving it into the earth, she unleashed a wave of power that created a 10m wide destruction zone with herself at the centre.

The other mages never saw it coming and now either sat stunned, unconscious or dead around her. Walking through them, she allowed herself a small smile, before turning and hurrying away from the alley that had turned into a death trap. Now to find- her thoughts and movement was cut short as she was slammed into a wall by a wall of power. She swore and turned, wincing as light assaulted her eyes. She swallowed hard as she realised it was the light of his gift that nearly blinded her. This was not good…

…………………

**A/N: I'm going to try to have this story finished at about chapter 15 or 16, so hopefully soon. Please Review!**


	14. Fight to the Death

**A/N: Ok, this is the second last chapter XD and it's completely set in the 'past'**

**Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to Lettuce as thanks for putting up with me complaining, and asking how the hell I was meant to _combine_ _two_ _different endings_ in _one_ story, _without_ giving away the other ending (–groans- Never, ever, _ever _again!), and all the other help besides XD. **

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP.**

**Chapter 14: Fight to the Death**

_The other mages never saw it coming and now either sat stunned, unconscious or dead around her. Walking through them, she allowed herself a small smile, before turning and hurrying away from the alley that had turned into a death trap. Now to find- her thoughts and movement was cut short as she was slammed into a wall by a wall of power. She swore and turned, wincing as light assaulted her eyes. She swallowed hard as she realised it was the light of the new mage's gift that nearly blinded her. This was not good…_

"You can't get away from my Lord like that Spymaster. His mark will always tell us where you are." She felt her eyes widen, despite her best efforts to keep her face blank. The mage smirked, "Yes we knew you overheard-well I knew, that fool Zaos was clueless. He's dead of course, he was no longer useful." Power pinned her to the wall and she swallowed hard again as the mage continued, "And now that you've revealed all of your secrets, we can take you to my Lord. I have to say, I don't know how you managed to hide you had the gift as well as the Sight. A very unusual combination…"

Lungkata's hissing voice filled the air, "I have a score to settle with you dear Spymaster. Now why don't you be reasonable and go with Marik, without trouble." She spat on the ground,

"Dream on. I took out one of your eyes and the next time I see you, I'll be sure to take the other one too. It would probably improve your appearance actually," she added, thoughtfully. The power that slammed into her mind was completely unexpected and she was shoved roughly into semi-consciousness. Darkness gathered around the edges of her vision and she had to fight to remain aware of her surroundings.

Marik watched as the woman fell to her knees, gazing blearily around.

"Bring her to the temple."

"Yes, my Lord." Blood red light flared around them both, and then they were gone.

……………………

The world stopped spinning and the darkness receded from Aly's vision slowly. She looked up, and had to stop herself crying out and backing away from the creature before her. Lungkata smirked. "So spymaster, we meet again."

"Then let's make sure it's the last!" She drew her remaining two knives and tossed one and the god's throat, rolling into a defensive crouch as she did so.

The knife made a satisfying 'thunk' as it hit him, and she relaxed, only to watch in horror as the thing before her wavered and then dissolved, leaving only its cloak and her blade behind. "Do you like my 'clones'? It's one of the spells I'm very good at. It is rather useful to be in many places at once."

Aly turned slowly on the spot, closing her eyes and letting her newly found gift spread across the room like a blanket. She opened her eyes and flung herself sideways as the real Lungkata, tossed a bolt of power at her. It exploded where it hit leaving a small smoking crater. "You couldn't just die, could you. That is all I need, and then your god will cease to exist anywhere but the void I locked his brethren in. But naturally, you have to make it harder for me and yourself."

"Naturally," she agreed, flinging her own bolt of power at the god. He blocked it easily and blinked as she seemed to disappear from sight.

"Now _that_ is a useful trick. Pity it won't work," he commented turning in time to see the knife flung at him. He smirked, and mouthed a single hissing word. Shields flickered into being around him, and the blade slowed, and then stopped completely, dropping to the floor inches before it could touch him. "Blades cannot harm me, spymaster. Nor will your inferior magic touch me. You might as well just give up now."

"No way lizard. I swore you'd pay for killing my loved ones, and for causing so much pain and misery to others. I cannot die until you and your memory are no more." Lungkata broke into hissing laughter,

"You could try, but after all this you are mortal, as admittedly am I. You are strong for your kind…but your strength will never be a match for mine. Do you think you'd have even lasted this long if I didn't wish it?" He laughed again, as she sent another bolt of power flying towards him. He brushed it off, "Really, it would be easier for you just to accept death. Your god cannot help you. He is…busy, with a couple of my better replicas, not to mention that he is still weak from his time in the void."

Aly's mind worked furiously. She couldn't kill him with a blade, and her gift quite simply wasn't strong enough to hurt him…damn, those shields. There had to be a way…she stopped her thought there, sidestepping another bolt of power, carelessly flung at her. She seethed inwardly at the way he seemed to enjoy playing with her. She had no doubt, he could kill her right now if he wished. 'So he's over confident,' she thought grimly. 'C'mon! There has to be-' her eyes fell on his replica's discarded cloak, along with her first knife. 'This had better work,' she thought grimly, dodging forward and then around him on his blindside. She smiled grimly, as he cursed trying to keep her insight of his one good eye by turning. She threw herself flat as yet another bolt roared over her head, and rolled until her questing hands met cloth, and the hilt of her knife. Grabbing them both she flipped easily to her feet, once again darting to his blind side she flung the material at his head, blinding him completely. She quickly swung her fist into the area where his jaw should have been and he staggered the remaining shields, flickered and disappeared, as his concentration broke completely. Darting backward and then forward again, as he flailed blindly at her, she dodged his clawed hand's swipes and drove the blade into his gut, jerking upwards. He yelled in pain and fury, clutching his stomach, as blood began to seep from in-between his fingers.

"Spymaster," he hissed. "I grow tired of this game." Aly found herself once again slammed into a wall hard enough to break her ribs. She winced, at the sickening crack, the resounded through the room, and as her breathing immediately became painful. For the second time she gagged as clawed and scaled mockery's of hands reached for her, the sickly sweet smell of decay assaulting her nose. A bloodied claw touched her forehead, as the others dug into her abused ribcage. She screamed in pain, retreating into the welcoming darkness that overwhelmed her senses.

She opened metal eyes, and found herself once again facing Lungkata. The pain was a distant red-hot throb. He laughed, "You can't get away from me this way, dear Spymaster."

"Oh really?" She muttered, and dove downwards into the 'doorway' she could see. Dropping into it she immediately, felt cool air caress her form, and the ripple of muscle as her wings beat steadily. Mercifully, free of pain she glided trying to figure out what to do. She would have to return eventually, and when she did Lungkata would be waiting. Not only was she now injured, but he wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. Which reminded her, that he was wounded too. Though she was fairly sure, what would have been a mortal wound for anyone else would only be an inconvenience for the Lizard. He could also probably get it healed, while she hid in her Kudarung form.

Well, at least she could do something in this form. With that decided she glided over Rajmuat, casting her senses out, searching for her own human body.

…………………

It was harder than it sounded. Trying to find an unconscious or sleeping person was always harder, than finding someone who was awake and alert. Aly did find her human form eventually though. Aly's body was, as she had suspected, in Lungkata's temple. Her initial plan to break into the temple and take her body somewhere safe, while Lungkata was weakened was foiled by the fact she couldn't seem to get within 20m of the place. She would fly to wards it and then suddenly, about 20m from it, would find herself spun around and flying in the opposite direction.

…_Kyprioth! Busy as you are I can't believe you don't have the time to tell me why the hell I can't get into the temple!... _

…If I get hit by a spell because I'm talking to you, it's going to be on your conscience…

…_Exactly! So hurry up and answer!..._

…Even I can't enter that place uninvited. If there's one spell that bastard has perfected its wards. Someone inside has to invite you in. Now I really have to go…

Frustrated, the former spymaster swore, and turned her mind to her other problem. What to do when she had to return to her human form and a battle that she couldn't win.

A familiar smell assaulted her senses, momentarily driving her from her frantic thoughts and back into the present. Smoke…and blood, people yelling… Wheeling, she sought the source of what could only be some kind of fight. Her blood turned cold at the sight that met her eyes. A virtual sea of black-robed mages, assaulted a crowd of desperately fighting people. Her keen eyes caught a certain small figure rush forward recklessly, towards what had to be one of the more powerful mages and she groaned inwardly, as she recognised Miki. Resigned to the fact that she couldn't simply continue on her way, without feeling she'd abandoned the kid, and the other non-gifted people of her home, for the second time in a few days, she dived into the ranks of Lungkata's followers.

…………………

They had come out of nowhere, throwing exploding bolts of power at buildings around the small square. Miki, Tara and Lykas had looked on in horror as another separate group of rebels had been nearly decimated. Unable to simply stand by, and understanding that if they didn't fight, they would probably be killed by default anyway in the madness that would follow; they flung themselves and what remained of their group into the chaos. They were quickly separated, and Miki found himself alone, surrounded by people he didn't know. With no other choice, he let himself be swept along in the mob, who simply targeted anyone who wore black.

He swallowed hard as he was pressed deeper into the ranks of mages. Shouting, he struggled to get out of the press as they reformed around the small group he was with.

Realising, that they were cut off from the others completely, he and the group with him rushed one black cloaked figure after another. Miki watched with a kind of detached horror, as the group around him slowly shrank in size - he was too busy simply trying to survive, to give it much more notice than that though-.

Choosing a target, he charged the mage without a thought for the bolt of power that grew in his hands then flew towards him. Light exploded around him and the next thing he knew he was being lifted far from gently into the air. An oddly familiar voice commenting dryly in his mind,

…_Of all the mages you could have picked, you had to go for the most powerful one in this entire mess… _He yelled as he was dropped, only to find himself sitting on the back of a massive black Kudarung. _…You little idiot…_

"Hey! What else was I meant t' do?! An' what right d'you have t' tel-,"

…_Miki, shut up, before I drop you back in the middle of those mages…_

"H-how'd you know my name?" Aly smirked to herself, well, if he hadn't figured it out she wouldn't enlighten him. Adopting an aloof, smug voice she replied,

…_Guardian spirits know these things…_ She could almost picture his wide-eyed expression and had to fight hard not to laugh…or whatever noise she would have made in her Kudarung form.

"Y-you're th' Guardian everyone's been talkin' 'bout?" f

…_No, I'm a dolphin… _

"A dolphin?"

…_Never mind…_

"Uh…Guardian…d'you think you could put me down?"

_...And let you get yourself killed the moment I take my eyes off you?..._

"…"

…_Oh alright. As long as you promise not to go and do something that stupid again…_

"I promise. Now can you put me down?" Aly snorted, not at all reassured but used her magic to lift him –more gently this time- off her back and to the edge of the square where Lykas was standing with Tara looking around worriedly for the kid. The people around looked wide-eyed at the massive creature above them. The former spymaster watched with amusement as they turned as one to peer up at her, pointing, as she glided back around to where the mages where.

The scent of smoke assaulted her again and she watched with growing sadness and anger as the mages decimated the non-gifted that opposed them. She let the anger fill her curious that it felt as though something else filled her along with it. Power scorched through her, burning in her very veins. Aly let out a ringing cry as her vision was tinted red. The haunting noise created a momentary lull in the battle below as fanatic and rebel alike turned to see where the noise had come from. The powerful mage, who she now recognised as Marik, raised a hand sending a bolt of power at her. She snorted, at it's frailty, turning it in the air to send it right back 10 fold. She blinked furiously along with everyone else, and found nothing but a smoking crater, where he had once stood.

With cries of anger the other mages attacked.

Her gift swelled, and seemingly doubled in strength, pooling inside only to fight its way out, in a torrent to sweep away the mages below. Aly stared at the havoc she had created with a single attack. Hardly any of the mages were standing, and she swallowed hard as she realised that her anger had probably doubled or tripled her power. That just wasn't normal… but on the other hand, if she could make herself angry enough with Lungkata… With a second ringing cry she let herself drift back into the darkness, following the faint pounding pain, back to her body, lying on the cold stone floor. The rebels could deal with those who remained.

…………………

The last 'clone' of Lungkata shattered, dispersing on the slight breeze that swept the area. With a weary sigh, Kyprioth leaned back, against a wall, summoning an image of his beloved Isles. The show was about to begin, and he wouldn't miss it for the world.

…………………

Aly opened her eyes only to slits as she took in her surroundings. She could hear the sounds of the riot echoing through the huge chamber that she was in. Scanning the room, she found Lungkata sitting patiently on a chair, eyes closed. Light glowed around one of his hands, which rested on the belly wound she had given him. She watched as it healed, leaving only a thin scar and bruised and angry red skin. She swallowed hard; this was not going to be easy. Getting gingerly to her feet, she forced the pain caused by breathing to the back of her mind, now more than ever she needed to concentrate. Swiftly, she drew to the fore of her mind every grievance she had with the Lizard and his followers. As when she was in her Kudarung form, she forced all other thoughts from her mind and let the pure anger flow through her, blinding in its potency.

"Hello Bastard. Did you miss me?"

"Can't say I have really," he looked at her for a moment then smiled. "So, your emotions strengthen your gift. This should be interesting." He raised a hand and let loose another bolt of power. Aly focused on it, and then as quick as thought, sheathed it in her own power, grabbed it and flung it right back at him.

He laughed delightedly, as it slid off his shield, "Oh yes, your power has grown. It would be an achievement, except, you're not going to be alive long enough to appreciate it. Now this battle can truly begin."

Light flared from him, in ripple-like waves, as he raised a hand and flicked it in her direction. They hummed ominously as they sliced through the air like blades, towards her. Throwing up a shield, Aly strained to keep them from cutting through. Slowly, one by one, they flickered out. Her shield caved in long enough for the last one to slice her arm, before it vanished like the others. Sparing a quick glance at the cut she swore, as she watched smoky tendrils of power cling to it and begin to sink into her skin. The pain hit suddenly in a wave driving her to her knees. She clutched her now useless arm and hissed through clenched teeth,

"What did you do?" She tried the same trick she had used in the alley, and he simply, threw up a shield and pressed himself to the ground as it swept over and around him, tearing up the floor as he went.

"How many times can you use that attack? Once? It must put quite a bit of strain on your gift's reserves. And as for what I did…well, it will slowly poison you, every time you call on your gift." He flung another spell at her, and unable to dodge or block it she braced herself as the sparking sheet of fire wrapped around her. She screamed, falling to the ground as it sent more waves of burning pain through every muscle in her body. The Lizard watched with morbid fascination as her body convulsed, her muscles unable to respond to her mental commands.

Biting her lip until it bled, Aly forced herself to her knees, still shuddering uncontrollably. Summoning the anger to drive away the pain from her wounds, she slammed a wave of power at his shield. It was enough to break his concentration and control over the spell. She was not the only one tiring quickly. With an act completely of will, she managed to drag herself to her feet, and crouch in a fighting stance. Without a thought she raised her good arm, hand open and flung lightning at him that made the air crackle. He blocked it again, and stared as it simply spread out to coat his shield in crackling blue-white energy. Closing her open hand and making a fist, she watched his expression carefully, as it gathered, pressing in from all sides. His shield shattered completely, the lightning collecting and lancing into his already wounded stomach with eye-blinding speed. The air was knocked from him in an audible 'whoosh', as he was lit up eerily from the inside.

Lungkata screamed, feeling as though he was being turned inside out. Collapsing, onto the floor, he lay there twitching, as the light inside him died, leaving only the intense pain as a reminder of its presence. Struggling onto his feet, to stand on trembling limbs, he ignored the pain to smirk in satisfaction, at Aly. Her face was white and pinched from the poison, blood loss and pain. Not to mention the amount of her gift she had used. He laughed, as she sank slowly back onto her knees, exhausted. Every muscle in her body felt watery as she felt her now numb body slammed back into a wall, the spell breaking through her attempt at a shield.

Desperate, Aly watched as Lungkata approached. She tried to force trembling limbs to move, and only managed to lift herself about a centimetre before her exhausted body gave out and she collapsed to the stone floor again. The lizard's hissing laughter echoed around her, and although he wasn't in a much better state than she was, he still had all the strength he needed to kill her. He raised a hand, a bolt of power hovering malevolently above his palm growing by the second. Pressing herself closer to the floor as if she could somehow avoid being hit, she let hopelessness sweep through her.

'I'm sorry,' she thought. 'I couldn't fulfil my promise_…' _It was then that the memory came to her. Her mother, looking down at her and Alan, telling them of the time she'd spent as a shaman of the Bazhir. …She said it was a constant danger with the gift-accidentally tapping into one's own life-force to complete a spell… Well, what other choice did she have? Die one way, or die another and take the Lizard with her.

With an immense effort of will she gathered the tattered remnants of her gift, and tossed them towards Lungkata, incanting the words that burned before her eyes in lines of fire. Power coursed through her, lancing down her arm and from her palm as sheets of pearly white fire that burnt even the stone floor. It felt as though she was trying to tear her own heart from her body, and she watched as the world shrank to flickering pearly white, and the agonised screams that seemed to rent the very fabric of reality.

**A/N: Yeah, well I'm leaving it there. Not to worry though, the last chapter should be up soon. God, you have no idea how much trouble this chapter (and the next one) gave me –beats head against desk- . But after a lot of complaining and sugar, I've finally done it! YES! –dances. Catches sight of pile of homework I've been putting off doing.- Well, guess what I'm going to have to finish before I can put the last chapter up? -sighs-. Please review!**


	15. Reckoning

**A/N: YES! I FINALLY FINSIHED!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA! Well, that's all my creativeness for the next couple of days used up –I had better not get an English assignment or I'm going to die-. Anyway, presenting…-drum roll- THE LAST CHAPTER:**

**Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP. **

**Chapter 15: Reckoning**

The world was blurry as Aly laboriously opened heavy eyelids and looked around.

_So…tired… _

The stone floor was pitted and rippled, as though a sheet of molten stone had been poured over the floor rather than the stone flags she remembered. Slightly awed at the power of her spell she looked around for Lungkata. Aly could see the collapsed form of Lungkata, just before her, lying on the ground. She hoped he was dead. As though to spite her, his body twitched. And she watched as he fought to regain his feet. After several attempts he made it to all fours, and managed to drag himself slowly towards her. He stopped about a metre away, glaring venomously at her. "Bitch." And then he smiled, "Ah, but in the very end despite your efforts…I have won. How does it feel to know you failed? And now you will lose not only your own life, but that of the Trickster as well? Your existence will be forgotten, I'll make sure of it."

It was beyond Aly's current energy levels to even glare at the Lizard, try as she might. He smirked, as though sensing her inner turmoil, and raised a taloned hand. "This may not have been how I planned on killing you, but a talon works just as well as a spell." He hand swung down, and she closed her eyes slowly in defeat.

There was a sudden noise from somewhere outside the chamber. With an effort, Aly cracked an eyelid to find the claw paused, centimetres from her throat. The Lizard hissed with annoyance, looking from the entrance of the room, to the Spymaster. The shouting drew closer, and Lungkata managed to drag himself slightly away from the Spymaster's body. "Ah, so I am to be denied the pleasure of seeing you die. If I weren't so weak…" He smirked, "But don't worry, we'll see each other again real soon. Not even a _gifted_ healer could save you now…and when your soul does pass on, I will be waiting. Be assured of that."

He dragged himself unsteadily to his feet, and tottered towards the far wall. Reaching out, he opened a concealed door, and staggered into the passage beyond. Aly struggled to fight the darkness that threatened to swamp her. It collected around the edges of her vision, and she remained in that semi-conscious state. Disjointed images, followed by long periods of darkness over took her. It was impossible to tell which were real, and which were merely dreams.

_The flickering of flames…The smell of smoke and screams of pain…Nawat's face leaning over hers, yelling something…Fear, horror, disbelief and sadness…A burning all consuming anger…A raka boy's concerned face hovering over her…Shouting…A familiar voice whispering in her ear that she couldn't die yet…_

And then finally, another familiar face; this one lined with age and framed by white hair, stark against dark skin…

Full consciousness came slowly. Every breath was like inhaling molten rock, burning in her lungs, only making her gasp more. The blinding pain in her body had faded and now she only felt numb. Looking up at the group of concerned people above her she managed a weak smile. She could feel her life blood flowing from her, even as Tara tried valiantly to stop the flow, from the many wounds on her body.

"Stop," she managed to croak to her. "It's no use. I'm dying. I used half of my life trying to kill Lungkata." She paused gasping for breath that was coming with more and more difficulty. "It's useless," she repeated when the old raka woman showed no intention of stopping.

"No! We have t' try!" Cried Miki's familiar voice.

"Even a healer with the gift couldn't help me now. Let Tara tend to someone who she can save. This is how it must be."

"No!" Cried Miki again.

"Yes," she said gently to the boy, words slightly slurred. "All things come to an end, and this is my time." The world was now hazy and Aly closed heavy eyelids. She was tired…so tired. Someone placed a gentle hand on her forehead. She could see the gold glow emanating from them, even with her eyes closed. Her numb body slowly warmed as though she was by a fire. Though she knew it was only temporary it gave her strength. "…Kyprioth?"

"Hello, my dear."

She smiled, eyes still closed. "I'm dying aren't I? And he got away. Lungkata got away."

"Yes." There was a note in his voice she'd never heard before. "You're dying. And while that bastard may have got away, I have a plan. It may take centuries for the right people to come along but when they do he will fall."

"At least no one will have to bear this cursed mark as I have."

"One will, my dear. She will be the last."

"But how? I have no descendants."

"Not by blood perhaps. You will have a descendant of a sort. Maybe a better word is heir. She will inherit your task, your vow, and some of your powers. She and those with her will be far better informed about the effects this mark has as well. They will have your experiences to learn from."

Aly gave a weary smile, "So my memory will not be forgotten as Lungkata would have it. All those mishaps I had with this cursed mark will backfire on him. I like that." She felt Kyprioth's answering grin rather than saw it. "My only regret is I never got to fulfil my vow Kyprioth. I left him to continue to inflict misery on others." A single tear slid down her cheek, clearing a trail of pale skin through the blood and grime smudged on her face. "What will happen to my soul when I die? There is obviously no Black God to take me to the peaceful realms. I don't even know if the still exist." Another tear slid down her face.

"They don't. Without my brother, they faded. The souls that resided there are fine, they were released and became one with this world, with the land, the very air you breath, the sea, the animals and plants. I'm not sure it's a bad thing. Others though…the souls of those who believe in Lungkata go to him. I don't know what happens to them."

"He won't let my soul be at peace though will he? He'll haunt me and as he promised, I will be his."

"No, my dear. I will never let that come to pass. Of all my chosen you have given up the most, suffered the most for me. And you have gained nothing in return." His voice was soft and she had to strain to hear it. She no longer had the energy to open her eyes, but she heard a small voice ask,

"Aly?! Aly can you stil' hear me? Aly, Kyprioth isn't 'ere…"

"Aly you must live! What about your family?!"

She could still feel Kyprioth's presence, could feel his amusement, as she replied, "I can hear you, both fine. Tara, my family is fine, and will continue to be now Lungkata has been weakened. This government, won't recover from this. And Miki,…Kyprioth…Kyprioth…is…talking… to… me…" Her voice was halting, and weariness assailed her again in full strength, she felt her breath catch in her chest. She was breathing in, in, in…

…_her body stilled, and ghosts of fear, pain, numbness and exhaustion dropped away. Aly looked down and found herself floating over the still from of her body. She looked up and saw Kyprioth's glowing form. She grinned, suddenly filled with the urge to laugh out loud. Finally, she was free…_

_Aly looked down at those below, at their frenzied efforts to bring her back into the shell, that had housed her for so many years. Tara was still with her, despite her orders to leave and save someone who could be saved. Miki frantically hovered behind her and the rest of them looked on from behind him. She watched as her discarded shell began to glow with gold light, to become indistinct…and then she was floating where her discarded body had been…_

And they saw her. They saw the Cunning One in her true form, as she truly was in spirit; a great kudarung; black as night. Huge, feathered, crow-black wings spread from strong shoulders. She stamped a hoof impatiently, ebony eyes examining every detail around her with a seemingly innate wisdom. Muscles rippled under her glossy coat like water, with every small movement and as her wings flexed, as though ready to launch her skywards. Forever free.

Her audience watched captivated.

"Th-The guardian…" Miki's voice trailed off. Every small detail about her was engraved into their minds, the image flickered and her human form stood before them. Here, was an Aly full of life and at peace at long last. She raised an eyebrow at their stunned expressions, gave a cheeky wave then turned and half flew, half walked straight up towards Kyprioth, the hint of jet black wings surrounding her.

…_Where are we going?… _He reached out and took her hand as light bloomed around them…

The voice boomed around her, echoing in the dull space she had escaped Lungkata to. It felt somehow different to the vision,

…_So now you know my story, and you understand the task that has fallen to you. When you have to face the Lizard, if you call me I will come… _

Feathers brushed her face, and then the presence was gone, as light broke through the darkness and she opened her eyes.

"_You're not going to make this easy are you?" He affected a hissing sigh, "Ah well, I couldn't persuade you to convert to my religion?" He paused, and then continued, when they remained silent, "No? Well that's too bad. Really, I admire your loyalty to the Trickster, but if you're going to be stubborn we'll have to do this my way." _

Julia, Takeshi and Tau, simply glared in reply to the Lizard's threat. He smirked, and raised a hand sending them flying backwards towards the nearest wall. Fully expecting this, Tau twisted and pulled his knees to his chest, to take the force of impact with his feet. Takeshi and Julia, grabbed hands, and instead of reaching for their own gifts, reached for each others. Surprisingly, it worked. Julia focused on stopping their movement while Takeshi flung a spell at Lungkata. It simply slid off his shield, but it distracted him long enough for them to regroup. Now free to turn her attention elsewhere as her adoptive brother kept an eye on Lungkata, she focused the gift under at her disposal to undoing whatever it was they had done to make them unable to reach their respective gifts. Removing the spell was simple enough once she saw the filmy layer of magic that covered all of them. Tau stretched, a globe of his gift coming to his hand.

"Ah, much better."

Lungkata laughed, "Very good. Unfortunately, nothing your puny gifts can do will affect me." So saying he threw a bolt of power at them, which they managed to dodge. Barely. Tau smirked, and nodded to Takeshi as soon as he regained his feet. Unclenching his fist and allowing the globe to grow once more he flung it at the ground. It exploded in a bright flash of light, enough to momentarily blind anyone who hadn't closed their eyes. By the time, his vision cleared again, Takeshi had vanished and he was left with only two mages. He turned to his blindside too late, and his head snapped backwards to slam into the wall with an audible crack, as something hard and made of wood slammed into his face. The 'clone' dissolved completely, and Julia sunk to the ground, sitting cross legged on the ground. "I thought it was too easy. It must've just been a copy."

"Some copy. It could cast magic." Takeshi turned at the groan that issued from Lilith as she struggled to sit up.

"Heh, typical you would wake up _after_ we did all the hard work," muttered Julia. Getting to her feet and heading towards the door she added, "Well, I don't know about you but I'm well and truly sick of this place. Let's scram." Other two nodded, and all three of them turned when Lilith didn't budge.

"I can't leave."

"What the hell are you talking about? You have two legs to walk on don't you?" Grumbled Tau.

"I can't." She raised the arm with the Lizard mark on it. "They can track me by this. There's no point."

"And you've known this since when?"

"Since, I had my latest vision."

'

"Oh joy. This just gets better and better."

"…Will it make it any worse, if I mention that I have to fight Lungkata?"

"I didn't hear that," muttered Tau.

……………………

The four of them watched the three mages that waited in the hall beyond the door before them. Eye pressed to the crack Tau growled, "One of them's Jamil. That guy is really starting to piss me off." Lilith rolled her eyes,

"That's nice. What I would like to know is how we're gonna to get past them." Takeshi sighed,

"So, Lungkata expected us to get past that 'clone' of him. Dammit."

"I would have thought it was obvious what we do," commented Julia. "The three of us each take one, and Lilith can go ahead, and fight the Lizard." She grinned savagely. "It should be fun."

"I can help," argued Lilith.

"No point," retorted Tau. "You're about to face a 'god'. Wasting even a scrap of your gift on these three, that you could need against Lungkata…"

"I still don't like it."

"Oh stop whining and just bloody do it!" snapped Takeshi, earning a glare from Lilith in response. So saying, he rose from his crouch, and opened the door.

…………………**.**

Lilith hurried along the corridor, leading from the opposite side of the hall, a small grin on her lips despite herself. Tau's voice still echoed through her brain, right before he turned to face a livid Jamil.

"_We believe in you Lilith." The other three had turned to stare at the Carthaki like he'd grown an extra head. "What?" He'd shrugged, "It always works in the movies." Takeshi had groaned and turned to face his mage, _

"_You-oh I give up." _

_Lilith had simply grinned, and cuffed Tau lightly over the head. "You idiot."_

The semi-familiar door that appeared out of the gloom before her, wiped all trace of amusement from her. If it wasn't for this cursed mark she could have happily left this place. But no, she had to fight a deranged, obsessive-compulsive lizard-man. The door swung open before she could touch it, she muttered aloud,

"Kyprioth, if I die in here, I will _never _forgive you. I'll come back and haunt you for the rest of eternity." Come to think of it, scratch the eternity bit, she kind of liked that idea. She might just do it anyway, if she survived. He couldn't hurt a spirit, no matter how powerful he was.

"You know, I never intended for that mark to be passed onto one who wasn't related by blood to the Cunning One," the familiar voice hissed.

"Hello Lizard. I've heard a lot about you." The lizard-man sighed,

"Why do you bother? You only ever inherited part of The Cunning One's power, impressive as that is, it was barely enough centuries ago. Now even if you were as powerful as she was then…you are no match for me."

Lilith grinned, "But that's beside the point." She flung a globe of fire at the lizard which he easily blocked, smirking.

"This is pointless. Why don't you give up and just let me kill you now?"

Lilith grimaced inwardly. If she had her way, she wouldn't _have_ to fight this thing much longer. A quick succession of attacks drove her to the ground, for what minimal cover was available, she looked at the familiar, rippled and pitted floor. Well, that was convenient, she was even in the right room. She cast a spell that blinded the lizard momentarily, as she took her time scanning the room for the place where Aly had been found dying by the rebels. Even as Lungkata cleared his vision, she was across the room, both hands pressed to the spot where the Cunning One had lain centuries before. Sending her power into the ground she called on the memory of the power that had engrained itself in the very floor of the room.

…_Hello? You asked me to call. Well, I'm calling and this had better work…_ Light blazed, and Lilith looked around as it cleared. There was nothing there and she sighed, so much for that bright idea. Well, Kyprioth was going to get hell, if she had anything to say about it.

Lungkata smirked, "And what may I ask where you trying to ach-," He stopped mid sentence, eyes widening, along with Lilith's as the second form materialised beside her. The ghostly black Kudarung bowed its head fleetingly to Lilith before, turning, it's eyes glowing red with hate to the Lizard-man, as it shifted to be replaced by Aly's form.

…_So Bastard, after all this time, we meet again…_ the familiar voice said in their minds. For the first time, Lilith saw something that approached fear appear in his eyes.

"He planned this!"

…_How very perceptive of you… _

"That, that-,"

"Trickster?" Offered Lilith sweetly. She really would have to have a word with said Trickster once this was over.

…_So, how does it feel, Lizard, to know that it was you who allowed me to enter this place? If you hadn't brought Lilith and her friends here I wouldn't have been able to enter. That was some nice warding, you did. Even Kyprioth couldn't find his way in here. You have to be invited by someone inside. We have a very old score to settle…_

The lizard's anger made the air seethe around him. "I knew your spirit had survived somehow. And now those stories about a Guardian finally make sense."

…_Very good. It only took you a few centuries to work it out…_

"I killed you once and I'll do it again! This time, you won't be coming back!" He attacked, his not inconsiderable power flaring towards the two women. Aly grabbed Lilith's hand, raising it while mouthing a single word. Their combined power lanced from their joined hands, slicing into the glaring light that surrounded Lungkata. They were both flung back, as the two gifts collided, in an soundless explosion of light and magic.

They slid backwards, Aly's feet digging into the stone beneath her for purchase. The light cleared and panting slightly, they turned to face each other again. Forked lightning crackled as it sped to wards them, Aly raised her free hand and causally caught it, watching as it dissolved.

"Is that really all you've learned in all this time?" The lizard stared,

"What-,"

"Your not the only one who gained power over the last couple of centuries…did I mention that as the guardian, I have the ability to draw power from the land and the remaining faithful?" She swept her open hand before her face. Everything was obscured in a thick layer of mist, and before Lilith could register it, Aly was moving, so fast she barely saw the mist close on the area where she had been standing moments before. There was a muffled cry of pain, and the mist cleared, to show the two locked together, by their own spell. Lungkata's blades of light, blocked and held by Aly's own lightning. They shuddered, both giving a few centimetres only to regain them shortly afterwards.

A shield flickered into place around them. The message to Lilith was clear. Stay out of this. Letting her spell flicker and die, Aly, lunged to his blindside, tossing a bolt of power at him and rolling to avoid his counter attack. Sweeping, a leg around she tried to knock his feet from under him, but he jumped. She quickly followed with a magical attack, which he blocked. He failed to see her fist coated in sparkling pearly fire, until it connected with his shield, breaking through, the lightning jumping from her hand to knock him off his feat. He looked up into the face of death itself and for the first time in his long existence knew fear.

"You forgot one detail bastard," Aly commented softly. "I _survived_ if only in this form, and the last time we fought you were too weak to face a group of non-gifted mortals. You may have hurt me once, but no longer. I was only a child, in relation to my powers then. I also made a vow. I keep my vows." Lightening lanced from her fingers. She jumped back as he burst into flames.

Lilith looked down as her arm twinged. The mark slowly faded from her skin, and she rubbed her wrist, unused to the feeling of smooth skin.

………………

Aly smirked at the look on Lilith's face as they entered the smoking wreckage of the hall. Takeshi and Julia were staring at Tau with awe written all over there faces.

He grinned smugly when he saw Lilith's approach.

"And that my dears," said Kyprioth's voice, "Is why you never get on the bad side of an optimist. The quiet ones are always the most dangerous."

"Why thank you for that insight, into the inner workings of mortal minds, Kyprioth."

"Aly, that was not called for."

"Yes it wa-," she looked at the other three who were now staring at her.

"Lilith, why is she here?"

"Why don't you ask Kyprioth?" Lilith's voice was syrupy sweet.

"How about you don't?"

"Fine, wuss. That bastard," she jerked her thumb at Kyprioth, "planned all this. He put us through all that, just so we could bloody get taken into this hellhole. You were there to fight the mages, and I was here to call the Cunning One. The wards around this place wouldn't let them enter unless they were invited in by someone already inside who possessed a fair amount of power."

Kyprioth smirked, "Well, you'd have hardly just let yourself be taken in here."

Aly sighed, "If you want my advice, never _ever_ accept anything given 'freely' by that bastard."

"What is with everyone calling me a bastard!?"

Aly ignored him, "I learnt that the hard way. There's always a twist. Look at me for example. The Kudarung was great, and it ultimately saved my life and many others…however, he didn't mention this whole Guardian Spirit thing…or the fact, that with me looking after his beloved Isles, he was free to leave this place, and dump all his work on _me_. He just pops up in history now and then, takes all the credit, and leaves all the _real_ work to me."

"You'd think she'd be _grateful_ that I saved her from eternal damnation, but no. This is Aly."

"Eternal damnation? You just wouldn't have been able to beat that bastard without me, and then where would you be."

"Tut-tut, such arrogance. You'd expect better from a _Guardian_ don't you think Lil- OW!" Aly promptly kicked the god the shins,

"You're not one to be able to accuse someone else of arrogance." Lilith stared at Aly in awe. Noticing Lilith's look of wonder, at her bravery or stupidity in kicking a god she laughed, sticking out her tongue at the Trickster,

"Don't worry Lilith. He still needs me as a Guardian for the Isles so he can't do anything about it." Kyprioth grumbled sourly,

"Just you wait. I'll get you back ten-times worse when this is all over." Aly smiled slyly,

"Oh will you now. I'd like to see you try. After all the remaining Kudarung and the crows will be _very_ annoyed at you, and I might find myself _accidentally_ mentioning to a few choice people-,"

"Aly," he growled. She sniffed,

"Oh alright, be that way." She paused then added as an after thought, "Maybe I should mention it anywa-," she yelped as a large spark jumped from Kyprioth to her, stinging her. "OW! What was that for!?"

"To remind you who is the Trickster god here, and who's the Guardian Spirit." Aly grumbled,

"Sourpuss."

"Liar."

"Why thankyou." Kyprioth grimaced,

"That was _not_ a compliment. You knew you had that coming as soon as you falsely warned her about my gifts." Lilith snorted,

"All the same, I think I listen to Aly just to be on the safe side." Aly grinned triumphantly, and Kyprioth affected a hurt looked,

"Traitors."

_There are many theories as to what happened to the Cunning One. She of all those mentioned in the Kyprish prophecy disappeared into history. While some say she died in the Grey Palace, her body lost, others claim she never existed. But a few, suggest she escaped the inferno, and lived to watch the destruction of all she had known; lived to fight the darkness that swept through her home. It is claimed by these few, that she did not die in the end, but rose instead to serve the Trickster. All that can be said for certain is that the memory or idea that was the Cunning One, myth or not, has lived on through the centuries, even to the present day. _

**A/N: DUN DUN DAH! Yes, well, that was the end …I'm not sure how it is really. Ah well. Last chance to review! Go on. The least you could do is yell at me and tell me how crappy it was. You know you want to hit the little blue 'submit review' button! Can't you hear it calling? **

"_PrEsS tHe BuTtOn. YoU kNoW yOu WaNt To…" _

**Freaky huh? Now even buttons can talk... Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this,**

**Firedraike08 **

**P.S. Oh yeah! Thanks heaps to every one who reviewed this story!!!!! XD You all rock!!**

**(And now back to writing a page on the "economic diversity of the Asia-Pacific". –waves little flag and blows party whistle- whoopee. All hw should be burned.) **


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